Damaged
by Penelope sweet
Summary: When Daryl saves a young girls life on his way to Atlanta with Merle he gets way more than he bargained for when he realizes that they have alot more in common than he thinks. Rated M for Language, gore, drinking and adult themes. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

When the outbreak first started I didn't believe it. I don't think anybody did. The reports were outlandish, grandiose like something out of a bad horror movie. I remember being at school the day I realized that something was very wrong in the world; the principle came over the intercom and called an emergency meeting in the auditorium. I can remember the whispers, the fearful stares as we all filed out of the classrooms and into the hallways. Student's texting, student's laughing some even high fiving the idea of an early release and here I was the timid little farm girl, already an outcast among jocks and rednecks set even more apart by what would happen when we all took our seats.

"Good afternoon students." Principle Mackay spoke loudly into the microphone at the center of our tiny gym. She had been the principle here for as long as I could remember, a short stout older woman with laugh lines and a harsh smile. Everyone listened when she spoke and today was no exception as a line of police officers stood behind her in support. "I'm sure by now that you've all heard the news reports and seen the video's circling around online."

"You mean the dead guys walking?" A boy above me called out. His friends began to snicker but it did nothing for the somber heavy air that weighed on us all. "It's a bunch of bullshit."

"Settle down Jack." She spoke, calling no attention to his language or sudden outburst.

"The president called a state of emergency twenty minutes ago." A wave of shushed panic flowed through us and I could hear each and every student behind me, in front of me and around me pulling out cell phones, IPods and anything else they could use to contact their family member's.

"There's no signal!" The girl next to me began to cry. Cynthia bourdon; tall, pretty, blond… Not a survival instinct in her body, dead bait through and through. I began to laugh, I don't know why but I looked into her scared blue eyes and I said the only thing that came to mind.

"It doesn't matter," I smiled. "They're going to die anyway."

"What did you just say to me?"

"You're just as dumb as you look," I laughed. "Don't you get it Barbie? It's over, this is our end game." She stood quickly, fire burned in her eyes as her friends reached up to pull her back down.

"She's just an asshole Cynthia, she's not worth it." The begged and I smiled.

"You don't know me bitch." I scoffed. "Open your eyes; it's been all around us for days." I shouted as I stood, Cynthia clawed for me but I managed to free myself from her freshly painted pastel pink fingernails, sharp as razors and just as deadly as they were hideous. I climbed over the boys in the front row and made my way to the center of the gym as Principal Mackay tried to calm the school. I pulled the microphone from in front of her and stared out over the crowd.

"Do you people actually think you're going to survive?" I laughed.

"Miss Pasternak! That is enough." Mrs. Mackay grabbed at the microphone but something in me told me to push her back so I did. She landed on her back and stared up at me with concern.

"The dead are alive and the living will soon take their place in the ground don't you get it?" I screamed. "We're all fucked and there is nothing you can do, you're all gonna die!" I laughed, that's what I remember most. The faces of the silent crowd as they stared at me open mouthed and afraid. Before that moment I kept to myself, hardly said a word. I rode into town with my brother, attended my classes and sat quietly even when others deemed it necessary to call me names and push me around for being a "freak" as it were. I guess in that moment I earned the title.

A woman, tall stout and manly in her appearance grabbed me from behind as I continued to remind everyone within earshot that they were going to die soon, that the world was coming to an end and all we could do was hope and pray that death would come quick. A man grabbed my legs and held me tight as I screamed, thrashed and clawed at my captors. I wanted to be free, I wanted to go home but in the words of the rolling stones, you can't always get what you want.

The next thing I remember is waking up at home, the sunlight pouring through my bedroom window as I struggled to open my eyes. I could smell dinner in the oven and the five o clock news blaring from downstairs. I struggled to move but after what felt like an eternity I managed to pull back the blankets and set my bare feet on the cold hard wood floor beneath me. I walked into the tiny bathroom that my brother and I shared and looked in the mirror, a ghost of a girl stared back at me through hollow eyes. I couldn't say for sure how long I was out but the dark circles around my eyes made it seem as if I had been up for days. I grabbed my brush from the counter next to me and ran it through my tangled chestnut hair, I got that from my father and thankfully it was the only thing he ever gave me.

Just two weeks past my eighteenth birthday and I found myself disappointed that I still held the face of a child. I chuckled to myself, the dead were walking and here I was upset that I wasn't maturing fast enough. It was laughable but I guess just because the world changed overnight doesn't mean we would.

"Ari, honey are you awake?" I turned as my mom opened the bathroom door.

"Please don't call me that." I cringed.

"Sorry," She chuckled. "Arianna." She leaned on the bathroom door as I began to brush my teeth. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." I muttered without spitting out my toothbrush.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." I rinsed my brush and spit, washing the last bit of toothpaste from my lips as I grabbed a towel and wiped myself down.

"What happened mom?" She took a deep breath as I tied my hair back.

"You had a breakdown at school, told everyone that they were going to die and they shot you full of Thorazine when you tried to punch out a cop."

"Mom," I turned to her quickly. She held up her hand and shook her head.

"Don't, I'm not mad." I looked down sheepishly and bit my lip. I wanted to apologize, wanted to tell her I had let my emotions get the better of me but the truth of the matter was that I had no idea what happened in school that day, why I went crazy and told everyone that they were gonna die but I do know that I was right and in a town of twenty five thousand people there was no telling how many of them were lucky enough to still have a pulse. These were the things that went through my mind as I waited for death to come.

It had been seven days since I'd seen another living person, seven days since I had eaten a real meal or had so much as a drink of water. Blood dripped from my forehead and stung my eyes as I stared at the thin strip of light that shone from under the large crack in the supply closet door. I could hear them walking, shuffling and groaning through the aisles of the tiny stop and shop. Hungry, unarmed and exhausted I waited for any sign of silence any sign I could make a run for it.

"Please God…" I begged through salted tears and weary bones. "Please let me get out of this alive." She growled and snapped at the air just outside my door, two inches of wood stood between me and my fate as a meal. Her shadow cast across the floor as she clawed at the door slowly. "Please God." I begged as I closed my eyes tightly.

"There anything in there?" A raspy voice shouted from far away.

"Geeks, two of em." I opened my eyes and waited hopefully as the sound of footsteps, sweet human footsteps moved toward me. "kill em?"

"Sure, see what you can get while yer in there."

"The fuck are you gonna do?"

"What? You can't handle a couple a dumb dead fucks, I gotta babysit ya now?" He laughed loudly. Whoever these two were, they weren't very nice to one another that much was for certain. The creature outside my door became frantic as the tiny stream of blood from my forehead began to drip onto the floor and I scrambled to get away from the screaming death that lay a mere two inches from me.

I pushed my foot against the door and yelped as my head bounced off of the edge of the shelf behind me. I had no idea if I was bleeding but the searing pain that ripped through me followed by the sudden blur of my surroundings screamed concussion.

I tucked myself away in the back corner as the sound of her incessant banging stopped and she snarled at the air. A sudden gurgle followed by silence was the most beautiful thing I had heard since I locked myself away from their grip. After what felt like an eternity the handle turned slowly and my heart stopped beating as the door cracked open. I noticed two things through my haze, First was the tip of a crossbow aimed and ready to fire and second was the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I had ever seen.

He threw the door open and steadied his aim.

"Wait." I moaned. His posture changed as my head rolled to the side and I closed my eyes. "I'm not dead." I whispered. After a long moment I felt his arm around my waist as he lifted me from the closet; I rested my head on his chest as he carried me out into the sweet Georgia air… Never in my life had I been so thankful to feel its dense heat on my skin.

"No, no no no baby brother we aint taking her." I heard a voice move toward us.

"Can't leave her here she's hurt." His chest vibrated against my cheek as he spoke. I sucked in a deep breath, the scent of sweat and a sweet kind of musk poured off of his skin like the sandalwood soap my mother used to bring home from Atlanta. Those were better days.

"Look at her. She's all kinds of fucked up, put her back."

"She's just a kid Merle, I aint leaving her to die." The other man sighed heavily. My fate was in his hands and there was nothing I could do to plead my case. I was too weak to move let alone think.

"Was she bit?"

"Hell I don't know."

"Well you better fucking know." He growled. "She's all covered in blood; you best make sure she aint infected before you even consider this." I felt my body lower, pavement beneath my skin as he began lifting my arms and twisting my body.

"I uh, don't know if you can hear me but I'm sorry bout this girl." He whispered into my ear as he pulled my shirt up and ran his hands over my stomach.

"Can't believe you even brought her out here." He chuckled as blue eyes continued his inspection. "Shoulda just put a bullet in her an been done with it, what I woulda done." He smirked.

"Shut up Merle." He muttered as he lifted me into his arms once more. "She's clean."

"Well that's great then, go ahead and put er on back where you found her,"

"I aint leavin her." He argued as he adjusted me once more.

"She's geek bait, fucking leave her."

"What's the harm? It's getting dark we gotta hole up somewhere for the night anyway."

"So?"

"So we take her somewhere safe for the night make sure she's ok and we bale in the morning." There was a long silence between them and I listened as best I could fighting the dark grip of sleep, the overwhelming urge to pass out as two men I didn't know decided my fate.

"Why do you even give a shit?" The other one asked calmly.

"She's just a kid Merle."

"She aint yer problem." He argued. "But she does gotta perfect set of tit's on her." He chuckled after a moment of silence.

"You gotta a filthy fucking mind." He began moving with me in his arms. I felt cold metal on my back as I was laid down to rest, a tailgate being slammed at my feet as the other man, Merle I suppose was his name laughed lightly.

"Unless you gotta thing for guys now I know you noticed." He smirked. I heard them laughing just before two doors above me opened and slammed shut quickly. I had no idea where they were taking me but I was thankful at least for three reasons.

One, someone other than a walker had found me.

Two, there wasn't a bullet in my head.

And three, amidst all this horror and gore I had the good fortune to see the most beautiful pair of blue eyes Georgia had to offer.

**A/N - My second Walking Dead fan fiction and I hope like hell you enjoy it. Got the inspiration for this little ditty while taking a rather refreshing nap in my backyard. Please review and enjoy and don't forget to keep an eye out on Amazon dot com for original works of literary horror by yours truly Penelope Sweet. **

**Also check out Penelope Sweet on Facebook dot com for a shout out to each and every one of you amazing fans. Much love! **

**XOXOXO**

**Penelope**


	2. chapter 2

**A/N - so I wasn't expecting this story to get the response that it got in just the first chapter. For everyone that read it and put it on alert, thank you so much I hope you enjoy it as much as I'm enjoying writing it. **

**And remember, reviews are like candy: we can live without them but they make life so much sweeter :) Much love**

**- Penelope  
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I don't know how long I was out. The sun had gone down and relished in the feeling of a nice warm bed beneath me as I stirred to life.

"Just leave the bitch." Merle from before called from somewhere far away. I reached over to the tiny bedside lamp and flicked it on, a sharp wave of pain ripping through me as its soft warm glow illuminated the room and stung my eyes. My head was throbbing and my throat dry and sore but I was alive, one of the lucky ones I guess.

"I'm just gonna check on her." Blue eyes argued. I didn't know what to call him and it seemed strange that I would know the others name while the face I remembered didn't come with one. I heard the door creak open slowly and instinctively I pulled my legs up to my chest, covering myself with the blanket as I watched. "Yer awake." He whispered as he slinked into the room and shut the door behind him. He moved around the foot of the bed, his eyes locked onto me as he sat down at my feet. "How are ya feelin?"

"Like I'm lucky to be alive." I croaked. My mouth was dry and it hurt to speak, hours of screaming will do that to you I suppose. He nodded gently and stood from the bed, moving into a small connected bathroom to my right. I watched as the light flicked on and the sound of rushing water filled the air around me. Things were bad but thankfully we still had running water and electricity for the time being, how long it would last I didn't know. I remember reading somewhere that in the event of a global catastrophe we would likely have these luxuries for a few weeks, a month was pushing it and we were bordering dangerously on that cusp.

He came back in with a small cup in his hand and my body began to ache for what was in it. He handed it to me and without a single thought of thanks I poured it into my mouth and handed the empty cup back to him. It burned like fire as it went down, sweet releasing fire and the headache that was building slowly began to dissipate as he quietly refilled the cup until I was no longer aching for it but sipping from it thankfully.

"Helping?" He asked as he sat down at my feet once again. I nodded and sat up and allowed myself to relax. He stared at the ground as I watched him, his face seemed thoughtful and I took the quiet opportunity to acquaint myself with something other than the color of his eyes. He was a hunter, I could tell by the strong frame and bulging arms that stuck out of his sleeveless flannel shirt. The crossbow he carried and the scars that littered his arms served as a dead giveaway but hunters always carried themselves a certain way and there was no mistaking that this was a guy hell bent on survival.

He looked over at me and smirked, strange that a man so fierce could have such a sweet smile. "What are ya looking at?" he muttered. His voice was raspy and his accent screamed of the backwoods not far from Lagrange. I shrugged and took another long sip from my cup.

"Not allowed to look?" I smiled back. He shrugged and turned his attention back to the floor. I watched his hands as he wrung them together nervously; they were stained with blood and dirt, he'd been on the road a lot longer than I and had taken more than a few lives in the process. "What's your name?" I asked quietly.

"Daryl."

"And the guy out there?" I nodded toward the door.

"My brother, Merle." He spoke quietly, like a shy kid saying hello from behind his mother's skirt.

"You don't talk much do you?" I asked after a long moment of silence. He smiled and shook his head.

"No, I do I just aint got much to say I guess." He took a deep breath and turned to me. "What's yer name?"

"Arianna." I smiled.

"Arianna?" he chuckled. "You got a nickname or something I can call ya?" I smirked and thought about the pet name my mother had for me, I cringed whenever I heard it but if it kept him talking I might as well spill it.

"My mom used to call me Ari." He nodded.

"Alright I think I can work with that. How old are ya Ari?"

"Just turned eighteen." I looked down as I realized I might never celebrate another birthday. I cringed as I tried to sit up; my bones ached and my body screamed as I placed my glass on the bedside table and kicked the blanket off of my legs. "Where are we?" I asked as I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Not far from the gas station I found ya at. How'd you end up in that closet anyway?" I thought for a moment as I considered just how much had happened in the days leading up to today. How much was I willing to tell this total stranger? How much was he willing to hear?

"I was looking for food and I thought it was empty." I sighed.

"Geeks got ya by surprise?"

"Geeks?" I turned to him.

"Would you prefer zombie?" I shuddered slightly. Somehow the word made things seem so dark, so hopeless so… real.

"No," I smiled as I shook my head. "Geek is fine I guess." I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and struggled to stand, falling back onto the mattress before he stood and offered me his hand. Somehow seeing my delicate hand cradled in his as he lifted me from the bed made me feel more like a kid then I would have liked in that moment.

"When was the last time you ate?" He asked as he looked over me. It was hard to stay focused with the room spinning around me and as I opened my mouth to answer him the bedroom door came open allowing a whole other set of problems to step in.

"Well, looks like sleeping beauty's awake." As I looked over at him I felt myself recoiling slightly at his menacing demeanor. I nodded and looked up at him through tired eyes. He was much older than his brother and his face held the look of a man destined for prison, or maybe he was just cut out for what the world had become. "How ya feeling there sweetheart?" He asked with a grin.

"Fine." I answered quietly. Something about the way he looked over me made me uneasy, a fool could see that he wasn't asking me out of genuine concern. He nodded slowly before turning to his brother.

"Satisfied?" His eyebrow rose as Daryl looked to me quickly then back to Merle.

"What?" He sneered. "I told ya I was just checking on her."

"Well while you were in here dicking around I was out there keeping watch." He barked loudly. I jumped slightly as he yelled. "I told ya girls are nothing but trouble." He laughed heavily as his attention turned to me."Now why don't you go get yerself cleaned up then you can see about making yerself useful and fixin us something to eat." He sneered before he turned to leave the room. I looked down and laughed lightly at the sight; dry blood streaked my skin and stained my clothes and that was just what I could see.

"I guess I am pretty messed up." I chuckled.

"Ya," He rubbed the back of his neck. "Shower works." He nodded toward the tiny bathroom before looking up at me sheepishly. I smiled up at him, a silent thank you before he turned and left the room quietly. I don't know what it is about being the quiet type that makes people want to figure you out but Daryl was no exception to this rule and as I watched him leave the room, shutting the door behind him I couldn't help but run through the list of questions I was sure he also had about me.

It didn't take me long to figure out the complicated mechanics of the tiny stand up shower. Blue for cold, hot was red and somewhere in between I found a peaceful sort of comfort, not the kind that made everything ok... no amount of warm water could ever make THIS ok but somewhere in between the blue and the red lie a relaxing sort of peace I longed for without ever really knowing it.

I looked down and watched the red water swirl down the drain, it was oddly hypnotic and knowing that it wasn't my blood made it easy for me to get lost in its pattern. I grabbed a bar of soap from the dish to my side and took a deep whiff, closing my eyes and allowing it to bring back memories of the little things I didn't know I missed until now. The smell of my mothers skin when she hugged me, dryer sheets and the smell of rain on the grass. Now all that was left was the smell of rot and decay... death and the stench it left as it's legacy.

My silent descent into memory was shattered as the sound of a harsh pounding rang through the tiny bathroom. "Hey Darling, don't get too comfortable in there." Merle shouted through the door.

"Back off man just leave her be." I shut off the water as they argued outside the door.

"What do you care huh?"

"I don't." He barked. "but you're shoutin loud enough the geeks might." I grabbed a fresh pair of jeans and a black t shirt pulling them on slowly as I listened to the boys conversation. I hadn't meant to cause a fight but it didn't seem like it took too much to get these two bickering.

"I'm sorry." I spoke quietly as I pulled the door open and squeezed around Merle and tossed my bloody clothes on the bed. Daryl turned and left the room leaving Me to Merle's glaring disposal. "I didn't mean to loose track of time."

"Sure, just don't let it happen again." I nodded and turned to leave but I didn't make it more than a few steps before he grabbed my arm and pulled me back toward him. "Hold on now missy, where do you think you're going?"

"I...I was gonna make something to eat," I stammered as he released me. "If I can." I added with a smile.

"Ok, alright I hear ya but first," He grinned. "I don't think we've quite been introduced yet see, you met my brother but I don't even so much as know your name..." A hearty laugh barreled out of his chest as I played with my hands nervously. "Seems a bit rude don't ya think?" I nodded, a nervous chuckle passed my lips as I looked down.

"Ya, I'm sorry." I held my hand out to him. "I'm..."

"Arianna I know." He took my hand in his and squeezed it roughly.

"And you're Merle." I smiled.

"At your service young lady. Now tell me what can ya do?"

"What?" I crossed my arms at my chest.

"Can you shoot?" I shook my head. "So you can't hunt?"

"I don't know, I never tried. Why are you..."

"Can ya cook? ...Anything?" I shrugged lightly and looked up at him, a twisted grin on his lips as he questioned me.

"I guess I can cook but I still don't..."

"Well then I guess that's a start." He chuckled. Something about the way he spoke, the way he moved and the self righteous air about him made me nervous and I couldn't quit get over just how intimidating he was as he towered over me, his massive arms crossed at his chest. "Go on then," He smiled. "You said you wanted to go cook something so have at it." I turned away and walked toward the kitchen sheepishly.

Glad to be out of his presence I made my way through the living room and into the too tiny kitchen. We weren't in a house like I had originally thought, they had found their way into the silver pines apartment complex down the street from my school. My best friend from Jr. High lived in one of these apartments, a realization that might not have been so bitter sweet had it not been followed by the sinking feeling that he was most likely dead, or as close to it as was possible these days.

I went about throwing together what remnants of food happened to be left in the already scavenged pantry, and thankfully it was enough to feed the boys but as they ate I could feel their eyes locked on me as I stood at the living room window and watched the scattered bodies of the undead shambling aimlessly through the parking lot outside.

"You should eat something." Daryl's voice pulled me from my thoughts as he came up behind me, plate in hand.

"Why do you care?" I asked as I took it from him and placed it down on the small ash wood table next to me. He shrugged and leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed at his chest.

"I guess there's no reason for me to give a shit." he smirked.

"But you do." I offered as I searched his eyes for any sign of sincerity. He shrugged once again as his body relaxed.

"I suppose." He turned and stood next to me, staring out the window as he shook his head. "Thing's are fucked up."

"That's an understatement." I smiled as I picked up a piece of toast from my plate and began to nibble at the edge. I was hungry and my mouth watered at the sight of it but it was hard to bring myself to eat, to want to really care. "Look," I tossed my food back onto the plate and brushed off my hands. "You saved my life," I looked into his eyes as he turned to face me. "You didn't have to but I'm really glad that you did I just don't get..." I shook my head as I trailed off.

"Why I'm tryin to take care of ya?"

"Ya." I smiled. "Doesn't make much sense seeing as how you don't know me." I began nibbling at my food again, hoping to satiate the feeling of overwhelming hunger that was threatening to drive me mad.

"You're right, I don't." He shrugged. "Maybe I just like to think if it was me someone would do the same."

"Aint no one gonna save your worthless ass baby brother." Merle smirked from the table. He let out a sickening belch as he stood and brushed his hands off on his jeans. "I mean come on who would give a shit about white trash like us." He laughed loudly as he threw his arm over Daryl's shoulder and pulled him tight.

"I did." I smirked. "I mean I did what I could." I smiled, lifting my toast as proof of my point.

"That's different sweetheart, you owed us something. Tell me if you saw his ass out on the street would ya help him? Or me for that matter?" I thought about it for a moment as I took another bite of my toast.

"Sure, if I could." He rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, say what you want but if it came down to it you'd be runnin for the hills like the rest of em." He laughed loudly as he let go of his brother and patted his stomach. "I don't know about you two love birds but ol Merle's bushed. I'm goin to bed." I looked around the tiny apartment and realized quickly that there was only one bedroom. In one last act of kindness I pointed towards it.

"Do you want the bed?" He looked to me, a smile crossing his lips as he nodded.

"Well that's awfully kind of ya miss but seeing as how I was gonna take it anyway I guess it doesn't matter now does it." A loud laugh escaped his lips as he turned and made his way toward the bedroom. We watched in silence as the door clicked shut and another loud belch came from behind it, my childishness getting the better of me as I snickered, nearly chocking on my toast in the process.

"Why don't you take the couch." Daryl offered quietly. I looked out the window one last time and shook my head.

"I'm not really tired, you go ahead." I smiled. He nodded and without a word made his way toward the overstuffed leather couch behind us. I turned back toward the window and watched as the dwindling number of creatures moved hypnotically through the night. I couldn't help but wonder what it was like to be one of them, to succumb to the infection. I'd watched it happen but that didn't mean I had a good idea of what it was like, how it felt and if they even knew what they were.

I shrugged it off as the sound of Daryl's soft snoring filled the room and found a stretch of carpet to curl up on. As I closed my eyes I could feel a flood of memories welling up behind them; my parents last moments, the promise I had made to my brother and the inevitable death of everyone I knew. I took a deep breath and brought my knees to my chest, hoping to drown it all out as I concentrated on the sound of Daryl's breath behind me and prayed like hell that morning would come.


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't know exactly what woke me, I just remember the sound of my mother crying loudly from under the floorboards. I crawled out of bed and tiptoed down the stairs under the light of the full moon that poured in from the windows above and around me._

"_Mom?" I called into the dark as I rounded the corner into the living room. "Mom." I whispered. She looked over quickly, reaching her arms out to me as she knelt over my father's body. I ran to her and dropped to my knees. "Oh my God mom, what happened?" I choked out through the tears._

"_I had to." She sobbed as she rubbed at my back gently. I ran my hands over him, willing him to be alive and yet not quite knowing why. It wasn't that I hated my father or wished for him to die but in all honesty he wasn't the kindest man that ever lived. He never hit me or my brother never laid a hand on my mother for that matter but something about his demeanor was always cold. He drank too much and somehow my brother and I always had the feeling that it was to drown out the fact that he was forced into being a father and a husband before he was truly ready to accept the part._

"_I'm sorry Ari but I had to."_

"_Why mom?" I asked as my sobs began to calm._

"_Because it's better this way." She told me. A chill ran through me, I remember it clearly as if the room had suddenly dropped ten degrees. I looked over at her and it took me a moment before I noticed the gun nestled gently in her lap, my father's pistol._

"_Where's Matt?" I asked calmly as she got to her feet. I stood and moved away from her slowly as she looked over the family pictures nestled in their frames on the mantle. She ran her fingers over our last family portrait and sucked in a sharp breath._

"_He's upstairs." She sighed. "I didn't want this Ari you have to know that." She turned to me as I took another step back. I watched the pistol dangle from her hand as she stepped over my father's corpse and smiled at me. "I just want to keep you safe." She smiled._

"_Mom," She lifted the gun and pointed it toward me. I can't describe the kind of fear, betrayal and utter sense of understanding that washed over me as I stared down the barrel._

"_I can't let them get you." She shook her head, her face twisted with pain and yet somehow utterly devoid of emotion and care as she cocked the gun. "My tiny babies." She smiled._

"_Mom, you don't have to do this." I begged._

"_Yes, yes I do." She nodded through the tears. "It'll be alright." She whispered..._

I woke with a violent shudder, the sound of frantic screams around me. I didn't realize until Daryl was on top of me shaking me from my daze that the screams were coming from me.

"Ari?" He shook my shoulders gently. "Come on girl, you'll have the geeks on us if ya don't quiet down." His voice was broken, distorted as I struggled to sort reality from the dream. I pushed his hand away and stood, running quickly toward the bathroom as my stomach tied itself in knots. I heard his footsteps moving toward me as I wretched violently, it wasn't long before I felt his hands graze the back of my neck, pulling my hair out of the way and for that small act of kindness I was thankful.

He moved toward the counter and leaned back against it as I flushed and struggled to catch my breath. "You ok?" He asked with a heavy tone. I backed myself against the wall and pulled my knees to my chest, hugging them tight against me as I stared out of the bathroom door and into the bedroom.

"My mom." I croaked. "I had a dream about her." He smirked and sat down, his back against the counter as he watched me. I was thankful for the company but a part of me didn't want to be seen at my worst even thought I wasn't quite sure what my best would be seeing as how the rules had changed. "After everything went to hell," I spoke quietly. "She got scared. My dad wanted to hole up in the house, said it was safe there and we could just wait it out." I closed my eyes as I tried to remember the details. "But my mom didn't believe him and after one of those things got to the farm she made up her mind I guess." I looked over at him, playing with his fingers as I spoke.

"What happened?" He nodded toward me. I wrapped my arms around my stomach and turned my attention back to the bedroom.

"I don't know." My eyes began to burn with the familiar sting of tears as I spoke. "I woke up one night and she was hovering over my dad, she had his gun and she tried to convince me that it was better to be dead then to risk being torn apart." I shook my head and closed my eyes tight.

He smirked lightly and I looked up at him. "She had a point." He shrugged. His words echoed through my head and as a string of images, memories of the last few weeks ran through my mind I couldn't help but smile. In its own twisted way he was right. I stared at him for a quiet moment as he chewed on his thumb, passing glances up at me unsure of what to say next. I couldn't tell if he was shy or simply had no real need for people in his life but something about the way he sat there quietly contemplating as the world moved around him had me hooked, intrigued and I wanted to know more.

"Where did you come from?" I asked quietly as he brought up his leg and rested his arm over his knee. He shrugged and as he opened his mouth to answer the sound of Merle's booming footsteps shook the room and quashed any chance I might have had at an attempt to get to know him.

"You mind telling me what the hell that was about?" He barked quietly as he dropped down in front of me. It was unnerving how he towered over me even when he was doing his best to come to my level. I looked up at him, his voice was angry but somehow his face seemed worried, scared… even the most hardened of souls could be shaken given the right circumstances.

"Nightmare." I choked as I dropped my gaze. "I'm sorry." He shook his head and looked to his brother before turning his cold blue eyes back to mine.

"You can't do shit like that." He growled. "You'll get us all killed you understand."

"Lay off Merle, s'not like she did it on purpose." Daryl groaned as he got to his feet. He offered me his hand and graciously I took it, pulling myself to my feet and moving to the side quickly as Merle pulled him from the bathroom and spoke in hushed growls.

"What the hell you think yer doin?"

"What?" Daryl snapped as he eyes flicked toward me.

"Yer putting us both in danger here, I know you know that." Merle sighed heavily and motioned toward me. "You shoulda put her back just like I said."

"Come on man, I told ya she's just a kid."

"Look here!" I looked to them as Merle thrust his finger into Daryl's chest, pushing him back slightly as a scowl crossed his face. "I don't give a good god damn if she's the queen of fucking England you hear me. She's a threat." He shook his head. "Screaming like that in the middle of the night, the girl can't even protect herself for Christ's sake. What are ya gonna do babysit her?" Daryl's eyes flashed to me and for a long moment I couldn't bring myself to look away, my fate lay in whatever it was that he was gonna say next. I turned to the mirror and grabbed a brush from the counter, pretending to fix my hair as they argued back and forth.

I was becoming hard to breath and as I looked at my reflection my eyes began to unfocus, the ground beneath me began to spin and all I could see staring back at me was the face of a monster, reaching through the glass. I stepped back quickly, knocking my head against the curtain rod behind me.

"You ok?" Daryl asked from the other room as I groaned. I rubbed the back of my head gently as I struggled to focus myself and regain my footing.

"Ya." I managed. "Fine, just one question."

"What's that?" He called back. I could hear Merle groan loudly as Daryl's face came into view around the corner.

"Exactly how many concussions can a person have and still be ok?" I smiled up at him. Something crossed over Daryl that I hadn't seen before, something that lightened the mood around me and brought a chuckle to my lips; he smiled a sweet smile, a soft laugh escaped his chest as he shook his head.

"Took another hit?"

"Ya." I grumbled, pulling my hand away and finding myself thankful that it at least wasn't covered in blood. I nodded toward the rod behind me. "It jumped me." That laugh escaped him again and for a moment the fear I had felt just a few minutes ago began to soften its edges.

"I'm sure that's what happened. You gotta be more careful." I stepped out of the bathroom and stood at the foot of the bed trying to decide exactly what it was I wanted to say, if there was anything that might tip the scales in my favor.

"I know you don't want me here." I eyed Merle carefully. "But maybe I can be useful." I spoke softly. A part of me regretted the words before they were even fully spoken.

"And how's that little lady? You said yerself you can't hunt."

"True, but I also said I never tried before. How can I know if I'm capable of something if I never tried?"

"Ah hell." He groaned. "We aint got time for this." I looked to Daryl as his brother threw himself down on the bed and sighed. My eyes were pleading, desperate not to be left behind and I hoped like hell that he could see it as I silently begged him to give me a chance.

"It's still early." He spoke to my surprise. "We could give her an hour, see how she does."

"No, no way little brother that's a bad plan and you fucking well know it."

"I'll take her myself then, you aint gotta do shit but sit here." Merle looked over at him, his eyes burning with contempt.

"What's the harm?" I asked quietly against my better judgment. "If I suck at it leave me here but maybe it turns out I'm not bad, then you got someone else to watch your back and it's safer for both of you." Merle looked at me for a few moments, quietly contemplating the idea. I had a feeling he was thinking more along the lines of how easy it would be to get rid of me but I needed them to take me with them, at least get me out of town and for that I was willing to try anything. "Please." I begged.

"Ah hell just take her." He groaned. A wave of excitement ripped through me before I realized that this was just a test. "At least I'll get some peace and fucking quiet while yer gone." Daryl took my arm and began to drag me toward the living room as Merle lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

"Thank you." I looked back as we made our way to the door. He looked up at me quickly before dropping his head back down on the pillow beneath him.

"Don't thank me." He groaned. "Just leave me be." I followed Daryl out into the living room and moved to the side as he reached behind me to shut the door.

"Thank you too." I whispered as he pulled a handgun from his brothers leather jack it that hung heavily from the back of one of the worn kitchen tables. He looked up at me as he loaded a fresh clip and handed me the gun.

"For what?'

"Giving me a chance, saving my life." I smiled. "All good reasons to thank someone."

"You wanna thank me." He smirked as he grabbed his crossbow from the table and slung it over his shoulder. "Don't fuck this up."

"Why do you care?" I slipped the gun into my belt as he walked past me. He stopped at the front door and turned to face me, uncertainty in his eyes as he shrugged.

"I don't." And with that we walked out of the small apartment into the blistering Georgia air. I was eager to prove myself and at the same time terrified that I was likely to get us both killed in the process.

**A/N- I'm so sorry for the late update, things in my little world changed drastically in a short period of time and I didn't have the time to do what I love most. But I am back and hopefully things have died down enough that I can offer you, my lovely's reliable updates. Thank you for being patient. **

**XOXOX**

**Penelope**


	4. Chapter 4

One thing I always loved about Georgia was the vast dense woods that surrounded nearly every city and small town making each one secluded in its own way and making it easy to get in touch with nature as it were. One thing I hate about Georgia is the vast dense woods that surround us as I follow him through the thick of it hoping not to be seen until the time is right. In the short time we had been here I had learn to move low to the ground, keep my footsteps deathly silent and listen in all directions for even the most subtle of movements in the trees.

"Ali, look here." He whispered as he knelt low to the ground. He brushed aside a small patch of leaves, exposing the ground underneath.

"What am I looking at?" I smirked. I wasn't a tracker, far from it and it was apparent by the look on his face that there was something I was missing. He pointed toward a slight indentation in the ground and looked up at me.

"Just look here, what do you see?"

"I see..." I paused and studied the ground beneath his fingertips. "Nothing." I smiled and shook my head. I looked up and took a quick peek around us as he sighed in frustration.

"Maybe tracking isn't yer thing." He muttered.

"Ok let me think." I looked down and studied the dirt carefully. The ground was disturbed, a heavy half circle left its imprint in the ground and I brushed his hand to the side to get a better look. "Footprints; human." He nodded gently as I stared at the ground. "Looks like they're headed that way?" I asked as I pointed into the forest in front of us.

"Good. Keep that up and I might find a use for ya." He stood quickly and began walking away from me. I half jogged to keep up with his large strides as we moved on slowly into the woods, searching for something that would make for at least decent target practice.

"Do you think we'll find anything?" I whispered as he watched the line of trees carefully. Daryl smirked and looked back at me; I felt my stomach flutter slightly at his penetrating gaze.

"Question is whether or not it finds us first." He turned and walked on, I struggled to keep up behind his massive strides as we moved through the woods. Silently I hoped that we would come up empty handed but as the familiar sounds of snarls and growls filled the air around us, I slowly and surely realized that I was never so lucky.

Daryl stopped mid stride and pulled me down to the ground with him, cupping his hand over my mouth as he looked around us carefully. The trees rustled around us and the slight sound of footsteps echoed from the dense dark woods. He moved away from me slowly, motioning for me to stay put as he pulled his crossbow over his shoulder and handed it to me.

"I don't know how." I whispered as he shoved it into my chest.

"We can't risk the gunshot. It's easy," I took the crossbow from him and watched as he positioned my hands around the hilt. I stood and looked out toward the woods as Daryl listened, He whistled slightly grabbing the creature's attention and just as hoped it responded with a deep guttural growl.

"That way." He pointed toward my left and I moved, lifting the crossbow to my sights. He leaned over my shoulder and I could feel his warm breath trailing down my neck as he waited silently. "Wait for it." I held the crossbow steady as he reached over and lifted my arms, straightening them slightly, never taking his eyes from the rustling trees. "Do you know where your sights are?" He whispered into my ear. I shuddered slightly before looking down and nodding gently. "You know the arrow arks?"

"I know, I've never used one but my brother hunted."

"Seeing it done and actually doing it are two different things girl." I smirked as he backed away from me. I whistled lightly, grabbing the creature's attention as I kept my hands steady, a hard thing to do when I could feel old blue eyes watching me from behind. Something about him made me shake and shiver, no matter how hard I tried to brush it off I just couldn't seem to get those eyes out of my mind. It wasn't until the creature came shambling from in between the trees that I was able to forget.

A boy, barely older than myself groaned and growled as he shambled from the woods, dragging his broken and bloodied leg behind him as he moved. He looked up at me, his eyes dead and his face showing the first signs of decay as he snapped at the air.

"Keep steady." It wasn't until Daryl spoke that I realized I was shaking. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, holding his crossbow still as I took aim at the creature that shambled toward me. "Line up yer sights."

"I got this." I whispered as I stared down the sights. I pulled the trigger, firing the arrow into the creature's neck. "SHIT!" I breathed as I stood there dumbstruck. It reached out for me, blood spurting from the wound as it began to move faster.

"Reload."

"What?" I turned to him. "Oh, ok." I pulled another arrow from the hilt.

"Pull the string back first." He half shouted as the creature picked up speed. I rested the nose of the crossbow on the ground and pulled back as hard as I could, my wrists ached as the string fought against my efforts. The creature growled loudly as the bow clicked into place and I shuffled to get the arrow locked into place. Daryl pulled his knife from its hilt, probably a precaution as I lifted the crossbow to my sights and aimed for the beast. Without a thought, a moment's hesitation I pulled the trigger and fired the arrow into the creatures skull. I stood still, dumbstruck as it fell to the ground and twitched slightly.

Somewhere in my vision I could see Daryl move toward the creature, leaning down to shove his knife hilt deep in the monsters skull, finishing him off with a grunt. "Not bad, but we gotta work on yer aim." He groaned as he wiped off his blade and shoved it back in its sheath. My hands shook and my mind went blank as his weapon dangled from my fingers. "You ok?" He asked as he took a few large strides toward me. I shook my head and just as reality came flooding back to me a soft stream of tears began to flow down my cheeks.

"I killed him."

"You did good."

"No, I knew him." I cried as Daryl took the crossbow from me and slung it over his shoulder.

"No, you knew who he was." I looked over to him, shocked and dismayed as my thoughts tangled themselves in a web. "Who was he?" He asked calmly as he took a seat next to me and pulled me down to the ground next to him.

"Jeremy." I whispered. "I went to school with him."

"Was he yer boyfriend or somethin?" He asked quickly. I shook my head as I looked over at him.

"No," I half smiled. "I didn't have one. He was just someone I knew of." Daryl nodded as I began to shake lightly. "Are we all gonna end up like that?" I asked horrified as I turned to him. He shrugged and looked out into the woods.

"Can't say. Odds are good though." My body began to shake and my eyes stung as a soft stream of tears flowed down my face. It wasn't that I hadn't seen a creature like that before, but killing one ending its life was something entirely different. My sobs became frantic as I looked over its lifeless body and leaned over, throwing myself into Daryl's chest, desperate for any kind of comfort. He stammered and backed away slightly as I cried, not knowing exactly what to do in my time of need. "Um..." He stammered as he lifted his arm and reluctantly threw it over my shoulder.

"It's alright." he spoke quietly as I nestled myself into his arms and sobbed gently. "You uh... You get used to it." I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on tight even though he squirmed against my grip. He wasn't used to contact, either that or I made him nervous but either way it felt good that he was there, that I wasn't alone and for what it was worth because of him I was alive.

"I don't want to get used to It." he sighed heavily as he squeezed my shoulder gently.

"Aint a matter of what you want."

"I know." I whispered as the tears began to slow. I sniffed loudly and pulled away from him wiping my cheeks as he rested his hands in his lap and played with his fingers awkwardly. "I'm sorry."

"Fer what?" He smirked as he looked up at me.

"Throwing myself at you like that."

"It's ok." He shrugged. "Just aint used to it is all."

"Can I ask you something?" I muttered as I stared off into the woods around us.

"You just did." I smirked and looked down.

"Something else."

"You just did." He laughed lightly.

"Ok smartass." I chuckled.

"Go on."

"Why did you save me?" He fell silent for a moment as he looked down at his fingers. I watched him as he contemplated my question, I couldn't tell if he really didn't have a good answer or if he just didn't want to tell me but something in me wanted to know.

"Does it matter?" He asked quietly. I shrugged and turned myself to face him.

"I guess not but you can't blame me for being curious." He smiled over at me and I brushed my hair behind my ear as I looked down.

"I guess not." He shrugged as he played with his fingertips. "I guess I just couldn't leave ya there like that."

"Sure ya could." I shrugged. "You didn't know me."

"Maybe I wanted to." He smiled.

"Sure and I'm the freaking pope."

"Why's that so hard to believe?" He chuckled.

"It's not, I just highly doubt that."

"Why?" He smiled toward me, I felt my cheeks glowing red as I looked down.

"Because you're," I motioned toward him wildly. He laughed lightly at my embarrassment as I struggled for words.

"I'm what?"

"You're cute alright!" I exclaimed in exasperation. "And probably much older than me and I'm..." I trailed off as I shrugged.

"What? You think I like you?"

"I never said that." I chuckled.

"Ok well first of all, yer not nothin so don't go thinking you aint got nothin going fer ya." I smiled lightly.

"And second?" I asked as I looked up at him.

"You said yer eighteen, that's legal." He smirked. I scoffed and slapped his arm playfully. "What?" He exclaimed with a chuckled.

"How old are you?"

"Aint polite to ask someone their age."

"No," I corrected him. "It aint polite to ask a lady her age, guys are supposed to be proud of it or something." He smiled and nodded gently.

"Alright ya got me there. " He cracked his neck and looked around us quickly. "Thirty one."

"Really?" He nodded gently.

"Don't believe me?" He smirked.

"You don't look it." I muttered gently. He lifted himself slightly and pulled his wallet from his back pocket, flipping it open and handing it to me.

"You still carry this?" I asked quietly as I peered over his driver's license.

"Sure why not?" He leaned toward me as I studied it carefully.

"April twenty ninth," I smiled as he took his wallet back from me and shoved it into his pocket. "You got a birthday coming up."

"Do I?" He smirked.

"Two weeks." I smiled knowingly.

"Ya well," He groaned as he got to his feet and brushed himself off. "Let's not go making a big deal out of it." He smirked as he offered me his hand and helped me to my feet. I followed him back toward the apartment slowly, there were so many things I wanted to ask him but I decided against it as we made our way through the parking lot and into the tiny brick building.

It was about midafternoon when we stumbled into the apartment, Merle perched on the couch watching us intently as I closed the door behind us.

"How was she?" He was straight to the point and somehow I couldn't blame him for wanting to know. I had no idea if they were headed somewhere specific but something in his demeanor told me he was more than ready to leave this dump far behind him.

"Not bad." Daryl muttered as he sat down on the couch next to him. "Took down a walker without much help."

"Without much?" Merle asked. "Well that's no good that means ya had to do something."

"Wasn't her fault, the arrow went through fine I just finished him off to be safe." Merle shook his head; a quiet sound of disapproval went through him as he looked up at me.

"She's a liability."

"I told ya she got the job done, handled my crossbow just fine and the girls got a knack for tracking."

"Did you fuck her?"

"What?" Daryl exclaimed.

"Did you two run get down ta business in the woods?" Merle spoke with a mocking tone.

"NO!" Daryl exclaimed. "The hell kind of question is that?"

"Then what the hell took ya so long?"

"That was my fault." Merle looked up at me and my heart raced under the power of his glare. "I had a meltdown so we talked. It wasn't his fault."

"You were talking?" He asked as he turned back to his brother.

"Ya, little bit."

"Well aint that just beautiful." He sneered. "What did yall talk about?" I thought for a moment as Daryl shrugged and against my better judgment decided to see if the hillbilly had a sense of humor at all.

"Just talked about how we were gonna murder you in your sleep." I sneered. Daryl looked up at me, his eyes worried as I caught Merle's attention. I hoped I didn't just say the wrong thing. He laughed lightly and pointed toward me.

"That's a good one sweetheart." He chuckled. Daryl's expression lightened as Merle stretched on the couch and cracked his back loudly. "How about you go on and talk about what yer fixin fer dinner, I'm starving." I nodded gently as I took a few tentative steps toward the kitchen.

"What are you gonna do?" Daryl asked quietly.

"I'm taken a shower." He scoffed as he stood from the couch. Merle grabbed my arm and turned me to face him as I stepped past him. "Do me a favor though baby doll."

"What?"

"Whatever you two get up to in the woods, don't go getting that little shit killed ya hear me." I nodded as he let me go and finished making my way into the kitchen. I heard the bedroom door close and soon after the rush of water from the bathroom. Daryl walked into the kitchen as I peered into the cabinets hoping something edible would make itself known.

"Any luck?" He smirked from behind me.

"No, it's like food just ceased to exist." I grumbled as I grabbed what remnant's there were in the cabinets and began tossing them onto the counter. "Got anything against fruity pebbles?" I smirked as he watched me.

"Guess I don't have much of a choice do I?"

"Nope not really." I laughed lightly as I placed the half empty box in front of him. "So what's the plan?" I sighed as he popped a handful of the stale cereal into his mouth.

"What plan?"

"Are you leaving me here and heading for the hills?" Daryl shrugged as he grabbed another handful and offered me the box. I snaked my hand inside, pulling out a handful and nibbled on them slowly.

"Don't think so."

"Really?" I asked as my eyebrow rose.

"Nah, I kinda like havin you around."

"What about Merle?" I asked nervously. It wasn't Daryl I was worried about and judging by the look on his face he was far from concerned.

"He'll come around."

"You sure?"

"Ya, you got tit's that's enough to keep him interested."

"Oh Jesus." I shook my head as I stole another handful of cereal from the box.

"What? Just bein honest. Merle's a real son of a bitch but he's got a soft spot for girls."

"Doesn't seem like it." I smiled.

"Well I don't mean he's gonna be nice to ya or nothing but if yer pretty enough he'll keep ya around. Just make sure you practice yer shots." I eyed him as he looked down at me. "If ya can't take care of yerself he won't keep ya around." I nodded and a pit in my stomach began to grow as his words rang through me. I was a decent enough shot but I couldn't really be sure that if push came to shove I could hold my own or God forbid protect either of them. "Don't worry so much."

"Am I that obvious?"

"Kind of." He smirked as he placed the box on the counter. He spun around as Merle came out from the bedroom, his shirt draped over his arm as he looked down at the box of cereal and back to us.

"That all there is?" He asked as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Unfortunately."

"Alright well, if ya want a shower grab em now."

"What's up?" Daryl asked as he stepped out of the kitchen and toward his brother.

"You from around here?" Merle asked quickly as he looked over to me.

"Close enough to know the area." I snaked the box from the counter and began nibbling on what cereal was left.

"There a grocery store or something around here?"

"Ya a Kroger just up the road why?"

"I told ya sweet cheeks I'm hungry and that aint gonna cut it. Besides we best be movin on." He added as he looked toward Daryl. "You comin?" He asked as he snapped his attention back toward me.

"Do you want me to?"

"No not really but Darylina here's got a thing for ya and I don't wanna hear him bitchin so if yer coming grab yer shit and lets go." It was hard for me to contain my excitement as I dropped the box onto the counter and began rounding up my things and what supplies I could find in the house. There wasn't much aside from a change of clothes, everything else had been wiped out before we got here but I shoved it into a discarded backpack gratefully and slung it over my shoulder. I followed the boys into the parking lot and climbed into the back of their beat up pickup truck, watching happily as Daryl climbed into the driver's seat.

"Where is this place?" Merle asked as he pulled open the truck door.

"Just a few blocks that way," I pointed toward the heart of the city. "Around the corner from my old high school you can't miss it." He nodded in thanks and climbed into the truck, I held on for dear life as Daryl gunned it out of the parking lot and took off down the street. I had no idea what traveling with these two would be like but more than anything I was thankful not to be alone. After all, if I had any survival skills on my own I wouldn't have been in that closet when they found me and somehow I wasn't so sure that was a bad thing after all.

**A/n** **I am so sorry for the late update, I know its been a while but things got messed up and I couldn't get my head in the game. i went through a nasty breakup not too long ago and it took a toll on me but I'm feeling much better now and i hope you will forgive me my lovlies :)**

**XOXO**

**Penelope**


	5. Chapter 5

The truck came to a quick stop in the parking lot of the abandoned grocery store I had led them too. I jumped out of the bed as Daryl and Merle pushed open the doors and stepped outside.

"This the place?" Merle groaned as I moved around the truck to face him.

"Yup." I looked out over the horizon. A thick line of clouds darkened the sky just behind the dark and quiet store. I couldn't hear anything and I hoped like hell that it was clear, or at least manageable. Merle groaned as he looked over the building with a watchful eye.

"Best get inside, looks like rain." I walked to the front of the truck and pulled the forgotten pistol from my belt, turning it over in my hands as Daryl came up beside me.

"Might wanna use this." He handed me his crossbow. I looked up at him slowly, confused as I took it from his hands.

"Wont you need it?"

"I told ya before, we can't risk the gunshot. Besides," He pulled his knife from his sheath and spun it in front of me. "I can fight pretty well with this." I smirked lightly and handed the crossbow back to him.

"Thanks but if it's all the same I think I'd rather just stay close to someone who actually knows how to use this thing." He pushed it back toward me and shook his head before leaning in to whisper in my ear.

"And I'd rather Merle get the chance to see ya shoot that thing, might make him feel better about you coming along." He smirked as he pulled away and began walking toward the store. I followed in stride past a row of abandoned and neglected cars, keeping my ear out for anything that might pose a threat.

"Doors been busted wide open." Merle smirked as he stepped into the store, piles of broken glass crunching under his feet. "Aint nothin to keep walkers out."

"Wanna just go?" Daryl asked quietly. Merle stopped and turned toward his brother, a smirk on his face as he shook his head.

"Hell no, I'm hungry." He smirked. "Were goin in, wait..." He pushed Daryl to the side and took a long hard look at me. I swallowed hard and prayed silently that I wasnt about to get yelled at for something I hadn't even done yet. "What's she doin with yer crossbow?" He asked sternly.

"Better her have it then me have to babysit her." He turned toward his brother, a mean look on his face.

"What the fuck are you thinkin?"

"I got my knife Merle, I'll be fine."

"That aint the point baby brother I gave that to you."

"She aint gonna hurt it none."

"I'll be careful with it." I interjected. "I wont break it or loose it I promise." He eyed me carefully, seething at seeing the weapon in my hands. He turned back to his brother quickly and huffed.

"You better not missy." Something in his voice told me that in that moment he was more dangerous to me than a walker could ever be, and I believed it as I stepped into the store right behind him and followed close behind the brothers.

"Why do you always do that?" Daryl whispered as Merle turned the corner away from us. I stopped my stride and turned to face him.

"Do what?"

"Take the heat off me when Merle gets pissed?" I shrugged and took a quick look around us.

"I guess I don't want to see you get yelled at is all."

"Don't worry about me." He snapped. I stepped back quickly and sucked in a sharp breath. To be honest I wasn't expecting that and having someone snap at you for doing something nice was definitely something I wasn't used to.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." he grumbled as he began walking through the empty isles.

"Ok now I'm really confused." I smirked lightly as he grabbed a box of cookies from the shelf next to him and ripped it open.

"About what?" He shoved the box toward me. I waved it away, more interested in our conversation than food at the moment.

"You don't want me to take the fall but you don't want me to be sorry that I upset you."

"No I just don't want you doing anything stupid." He sneered as he popped a cookie into his mouth. "You don't know Merle like I do, best to just keep on his good side and let me handle him okay?"

"Okay." I rolled my eyes. Guys were always confusing but this one was beginning to take the cake as far as I was concerned. He placed the open box back on the shelf and motioned for me to follow him toward the end of the isle. We crept quietly through the half empty and discarded shelves, I kept my breath shallow and my footsteps light, listening for even the slightest sounds but the only thing I heard were Merle's half grunts of approval from the other end of the store. "Why's he so grumpy anyway?" I asked as we moved away from him.

"Who Merle?"

"No the Easter bunny, yes Merle." I smirked. He looked back at me, studying my face closely before a smirk crossed his lips.

"I don't know. Always been that way I guess." He shrugged.

"And there's no reason, he just is what he is then?"

"Do you always talk this much?" He smiled back at me as we past rows of warm rotted meat. I covered my nose with the edge of my shirt hoping to dull the smell but the stench was stronger than my efforts. I reached out and pushed on Daryl's back lightly in hopes that he would move faster and get me out of this fetid nightmare. "Slow down girl." He chuckled.

"It reeks." I groaned as we turned the corner. Pools of melted ice cream crept out of the powerless freezers staining the floor with a coat of sticky technicolor but at least dodging puddles was a hell of a lot better than dodging the smell of death that lingered behind us. "Well that sucks." I groaned as I peered into one of the freezers.

"What sucks." He asked quietly as he came up behind me.

"I love cream sickles." I pouted as I pressed my nose longingly up against the glass. The sound of rain began to patter loudly against the roof and I guess that was the reason I didn't hear someone coming up behind us. I didn't know that Daryl had been knocked down until the frantic screams and cry's of a boy calling for help rang from behind me. I turned around just in time to see Daryl gripping the boy in a tight headlock and knocking him onto his knees.

"LET GO MAN!" I stared, stunned as the boy struggled against his grip.

"Shut the fuck up!" Daryl shouted softly as he struggled against the flailing kid. "The fuck do you think yer doing?"

"I thought you was one of them." He answered quickly, breathlessly as he went limp in Daryl's grip.

"Corey?" I asked quietly as I finally got a good look at the boys face. He peered up at me, a silent sense of knowing in his eyes.

"Ya?"

"You're alive." I smiled. I wouldn't have considered him a friend, not by any stretch of the imagination but it was nice to see someone I once knew walking around with a pulse. Daryl let him go, tossing him gently to the side as he stepped toward me.

"You know this prick?" He asked as he rubbed his bottom lip.

"Ya, well sort of." I stammered. "He's a friend of my brothers, we went to school together."

"Where is your brother?" The kid asked hoarsely as he got to his feet. I looked down as a wave of memories flooded me, memories I would love more than anything to forget.

"Dead I think." I answered quietly.

"You think?"

"He took off about a week ago, haven't seen him since." I explained. He nodded at me, his eyes were accusing and in that moment I found myself boiling slightly at what they had to say.

"The hell is going on down here?" Merle's voice boomed through the silence as he crept up behind us. "Oh Jesus, smells like a hookers asshole back here." He laughed loudly as he came around the corner. "Who the fuck are you?" He eyed the boy carefully as he approached him.

"Corey."

"Well Corey I'm gonna assume it was you making all that noise back here, mind telling me what the fuck was going through yer head?"

"This asshole." He nodded toward Daryl, a glare in his eyes.

"You jumped me you little prick." I stepped in between the two of them hoping to stop any fight that was brewing in the tiny quiet isle but knowing full well it was best to just get out of the way if it came down to it.

"I told ya I thought you was one of them." He shouted.

"OK, ok alright calm down. No use attracting any attention to yerself if you know what I mean." Merle spoke sternly as he eyed the boy.

"Yes sir." I was taken back, Corey wasn't the type to show any kind of respect. A stoner and a drop out he was the kid that gave everyone shit, everyone that wasn't buying drugs off of him that was and as his eyes met mine for the first time since our little encounter had begun I realized he was higher then a kite and that meant he was a liability. Keeping him calm was the only way out of this situation without bringing a horde down on us.

"So tell me, are you the one that broke the door back there?" Merle nodded toward the front of the store as the boy looked down. He shook his head and motioned behind him.

"Crawled in through a window back there, just came lookin for food is all." He spoke quietly, keeping his eyes down the whole time. "If ya don't mind, I got people waiting on me, I should be getting back."

"Who wait a second," Merle smiled as he put his hand out to stop the boy. "You got a group?"

"Sort of." He shrugged. "Just a couple of us at the school."

"Is it cleaned out?" Daryl asked quickly.

"Ya I guess. When the outbreak hit the military used it as a safe zone, it was pretty guarded and we haven't seen anything yet."

"How long you been there."

"Couple of days." He shrugged. Daryl leaned over and began whispering something in Merle's ear as I stepped closer to the kid.

"Who all's with you?"

"No one you'd know." I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little hurt by his words. I wasn't exactly social when it came to high school, in fact there were times when I had seriously thought about hiding in my room and waiting it all out but there was no reason for me to be that hated, unless...

"Alright, I got a deal for ya kid."

"What?" He sneered as he looked past me and toward Merle.

"We'll look out for ya here, help ya carry some stuff back if you give us a place to hole up for a night or two." The boy thought about it for a moment and shrugged.

"I guess I could use the help." He nodded slightly as his posture relaxed. He uncrossed his arms as a smile crossed his face. "Sure, grab what you can." He walked past me quickly, bumping into me as he moved toward Merle.

"You know if they got anything ta drink in here?" Merle asked quickly. Corey laughed loudly and slapped his shoulder.

"I got ya covered man." I brushed off the encounter as they turned the corner and disappeared down the isle.

"You ok?" Daryl asked quietly as I adjusted myself.

"Ya," I smirked. "I guess I'm not so good at making friends." He chuckled lightly and reached over, patting my shoulder and pushing me forward slightly.

"Well ya got me." I looked up at him as a smile crossed my lips.

"Ya?"

"Don't go getting excited." He laughed lightly as we caught up with Merle and Corey. It didn't take long for us to gather a hefty load of supplies and load them into the back of the truck. The school was just around the corner but Merle insisted on taking the truck, something about not wanting to be stranded if shit hit the fan. I climbed into the back and Daryl sat with me, Corey and his brother seemed to be making friends rather quickly and the cab was crowded with just two. We rode in silence around the back of the store and toward the back doors of the school; I remember the trucks that came in on Monday mornings to deliver food to the cafeteria as the engine died and one by one we climbed out of the truck.

Daryl helped me down and tossed me an overstuffed bag, grabbing on for himself as we followed the boys in through the back gates and locked the behind us.

"Were held up in the cafeteria, it's pretty safe and we got the windows boarded up." Corey called as we walked through the storage room and came out into the schools dirty kitchen.

"What about the rest of the school."

"It's got a lock down system, bars on the windows and bullet proof glass for the front doors." I added as Corey stopped to knock in a large metal door.

"Bad area?" Merle asked as he met my gaze for the first time since we left the apartment.

"No," I smirked. "Bad students." He nodded lightly. The door's locked clicked loudly and soon after a rush of cool air hit me as the door was pulled open. I groaned loudly as a face stared back at me in disbelief and disgust, the last face I wanted to see.


	6. Chapter 6

"The troll lives." She smirked as she stared me down. I lowered my gaze and sucked in a sharp breath. Cynthia Bourdon, I hadn't thought in a million years she would have survived. There are girls in the world that have everything handed to them from birth, fancy cars, big houses and Gucci bags, things that no one really needs but everyone wants. She was the kind of girl you went to for a bathroom blow job not the kind of girl you took along during the apocalypse but I guess everyone's important in there own way. "I told you to bring back food not trash." She sneered as she pulled the door open.

"Relax baby, if it weren't for the boys I would've left her you know that." He smiled as he wrapped his hands around her hips and backed her into the wall. They locked lips like a pair of undersexed animals as we walked past them, bags in tow. We walked around the serving counter and I'll be honest I was surprised at the amount of people that had managed to find their way here.

Every school has it's clicks and judging by the faces that chatted idly with one another our school was no different. Most of them were the barbie doll types, the kids who stuck close to one another but had more of an alliance to their money then their friends, a few teachers had separated themselves from the crowd and beyond that two small families cradling there children as the others looked on. I looked up at Daryl as he watched the room, showing no interest in the faces around him.

"Lets go give this shit out." Corey smiled as he patted Merle on the shoulder. Cynthia had tangled herself around his waist like some kind of obscene Siamese twin and I couldn't help but roll my eyes as the three of them moved past us. They walked quickly over to their friends, their true colors showing as they shuffled through the bags they had not even passing a glance at the children that looked on with hungry eyes. I took a bag from Daryl and walked over to a young couple that sat in the back. A woman whose name I didn't know looked up at me with tired eyes, I recognized her from the locally run bookstore down the street, her belly bloated with pregnancy as a little boy buried his face in her arm.

I dropped the bag at her feet and smiled as I knelt down and unzipped it, pulling out a small box of crackers and handed them to her son. He looked up at her and she nodded gently, asking him to thank me as he took the box from my hand. "Your welcome." I smiled. I fished out a bottle of water and handed it to her along with another box of crackers before zipping the bag back up and leaving it at her feet. I was hardly hungry and as I saw it she needed it more than I did at that moment.

I sat down on a bench and looked out over the small crowd as the plastics laughed and the others looked on solemnly. It was almost unbearable to watch the faces of those who survived, those who were responsible for keeping the human race going in the face of tragedy but as much as I wanted to do something about it, wanted it to be different no amount of wishing would make it so.

"You alright?" Daryl asked quietly as the others went on about there business as if high school never ended, the world never changed.

"Sure." I smiled. "I'm gonna look around a bit."

"Want some company?" He asked as he scratched the back of his neck. I shrugged as I got to my feet.

"Do you really want to hang out with me or do you just want to make sure the school is safe?" I smirked as we began walking away from the cafeteria and down the hall.

"Can I do both?" He smiled as we rounded the corner and made our way through the short line of classrooms that made up the art department.

"I guess." I opened the first door and reached over to flick on the light.

"Electricity's probably out." He smirked at my futile attempt to make the impossible happen.

"The school has a back up generator." I huffed. "I guess sunlight will have to do." I walked into the small room and began to look around; discarded desks sat jammed up in a corner and old papers littered the floor, like someone had ransacked the room before we even thought to enter. I pulled open the large metal doors of a storage cabinet and began to rummage through as Daryl peered out the barred up windows. "See anything?" I asked quietly as I pulled out an old sketchbook and a few chewed up pencils.

"Couple of walkers, two girls and a guy I think."

"They a problem?" I asked as I unzipped my bag and threw my treasures inside.

"The window's barred." He smirked. "I highly doubt it." I followed him out of the room and decided to let him take the lead, it felt like an eternity before he finally began to talk to me but in it's own way I really didn't mind the silence. "So this yer school?"

"Was." I corrected him. "And I never liked it, I didn't know anyone and I was failing out so I guess it wasn't really mine." I smirked.

"Ya I never was good at school either. I ain't stupid or nothing, just never liked it."

"Ya." I looked around us slowly as we walked into the gym, the biggest room the school had to offer.

"_You're all going to die..."_ Those words still rang through my head as I stared at the very same microphone I had spoke into that day.

"_Don't you get it, don't you see?..." _Nothing had changed since I stood in front of the school and proclaimed my insanity for all to hear. It was like time had stopped that day and for what it was worth it had. _"Your all cattle..."_

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked sharply as I stared off into space. "And don't tell me nothin cause we both know that's bullshit." I shook myself out of my daze and looked up at him, my stomach turning as I thought back to that day and everything that had happened since.

"Old memories, that's it." I shrugged.

"Ya?" He knew it was bullshit, that I was just blowing him off but what was I supposed to do? He nodded it me knowingly before leading me out of the gym and back toward the cafeteria, the sound of loud peals of laughter rang through the halls and grew louder as we moved closer. As we rounded the corner I could almost immediately see why.

The group had torn open a case of beer and were in the midst of passing around a bottle filled with Amber colored liquid as they carried on. "Didn't take long for Merle to get comfortable." Daryl smirked as made our way toward them. A dark haired girl with more tattoos that needed had perched herself on his lap, feeding him from a bottle as he ran his hands over her with lust in his eyes. I shook my head as I followed Daryl toward them and took a seat in an empty chair as far away as I could get.

"Hey man!" Corey chuckled as Daryl sat down next to me. "Welcome back." He smiled as he reached into the box and passed him a beer. Daryl took it gratefully and passed it over to me.

"No," I chuckled. "Thank you." He shrugged and twisted the cap off, taking a long drink as the group began to quiet down.

"So troll," Cynthia asked as she nodded toward me, I had to admit I was less than fond of her pet name. "I guess you were wrong huh?" She chuckled as she leaned into Corey.

"About what? The world ending or everyone dying?" She sneered as everyone looked at me knowingly.

"Well were still here." She mocked.

"Ya how did you manage to survive Cynthia? I wouldn't have pegged you for someone with any kind of survival skill." My words were edged but somehow I couldn't make myself feel sorry for what I had implied. She looked to Corey and smiled brightly as she nuzzled into him.

"My care bear here rescued me."

"Don't call me that." He groaned as he leaned away from her, a look of disgust twisted his face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "So how did you survive?" He nodded toward me a she began kissing his neck rapidly. I shrugged and took the bottle from Daryl's hand, taking a long drink before handing it back to him.

"Luck." I sighed.

"Ya, what kind of luck?" He smirked.

"He's sitting next to me." I smiled. Daryl looked over at me and smirked, lifting his beer in a slight toast as he nodded.

"You saved her?" Corey scoffed.

"Found her in a closet half dead." He smiled.

"Oh Jesus that is rich." Corey shook his head as Cynthia climbed off of his lap and fished for another beer.

"Why didn't you just leave her there?" She sneered as she pulled a bottle from the box and twisted off the cap. Something in Daryl's eyes changed as she took a long drink, I couldn't be sure what but in that moment and for the first time since I met him I felt myself growing uneasy at his stare.

"Why would I do that?"

"Same reason I told ya to little brother." Merle chuckled as his dark haired friend rested her head on his shoulder and stole the bottle from his fingers. "Just another mouth to feed." he smirked.

"Another waste of space is more like it." Cynthia chuckled.

"Hey now baby doll I didn't say that."

"No but I did." She shook her head as her eyes flicked over to me quickly. "Did she tell you she's crazy?" Daryl's eyebrow rose as he finished off his drink and reached for another one.

"Ya?"

"She went batshit on our last day of school, yelled at everyone said we were all gonna die." Corey added. "They had to sedate her when she punched out the principal." He chuckled.

"That part was pretty cool actually." Cynthia smirked. I lowered my eyes and played with my fingers nervously as they stared me down like some kind of freak.

"Doesn't sound crazy." Daryl smirked as he popped open his bottle. "Sounds pretty bad ass to me." He nudged me gently as he took a drink. I looked up at him appreciatively and smiled.

"Well whatever, she's fucking crazy I warned you." Cynthia laughed as she leaned back against Corey. I stood quickly and threw my bag over my shoulder as I made my way across the cafeteria toward an empty bench. I pulled out the sketchbook I had found and allowed the pencil to take over, ignoring the jabs and jokes that came my way from the tiny crowd. It wasn't hard to see that I wasn't welcome, at least not amongst that crowd but somehow it didn't bother me, couldn't bother me as I kept my eyes on my paper and my thoughts on the man I caught smiling back at me every now and again.

My attention was drawn away from the book in front of me as he staggered over and thew himself down on the other side of the bench and pushed a bottle in my direction. I eyed it carefully, my lips curling into a sneer as I turned my eyes back to the paper and shook my head.

"Drink." He smiled.

"No thank you." I muttered as I continued my picture.

"Drink." He insisted, pushing the bottle closer as his eyes burned through me. I looked up at him and smirked as I caught sight of the drunken haze that clouded his eyes.

"I don't really drink." I placed my pencil down as I smiled over at him.

"And I don't really care." He mocked me as he picked up the bottle and slammed it down closer to me. "Drink."

"Daryl, come on." I sighed as I shook my head.

"Ali," He mocked. "I'm feelin friendly and I wanna drink with you so just take the damn bottle."

"OK." I chuckled. I lifted the bottle and stared at the amber colored liquid for a moment, my stomach protesting the idea as I lifted it to my lips and took a deeper drink then I would have liked. I slammed the bottle down quickly and shook my head as a coughing fit took over, shaking me as the bitter liquid coated my throat. "JESUS!" I coughed as he laughed hardily. "The hell is that stuff."

"Tequila." He smirked as he lifted the bottle in salute before taking a large mouthful with hardly any reaction at all. "Whatcha working on?" He asked as he leaned over the table.

"Nothing." I spat defensively as I covered the paper with my arms.

"Nothing or nothing you want me to see?" He smirked.

"Nothing and none of yer damn business." I smiled.

"Oh ya?" His eyebrow rose.

"Ya."

"We'll see about that." He smirked as he reached over and attempted to pull the book from under my arms. I held on for dear life, chuckling as he tore it away from me and flipped it around to get a better look. I stole the bottle from in front of him and took a long drink as my heart hammered in my chest.

"This me?" He asked surprised.

"Yes." I groaned sheepishly as I grimaced at the alcohols harsh burn. I had drawn him from the back, holding his crossbow to his side and looking over his shoulder, a memory from our time in the woods and a picture I couldn't get out of my head.

"That's pretty good there girl." He dropped the book in front of me and quickly I closed it and shoved it back into my bag.

"You think so?"

"Sure, but why me?" He asked as he took another drink and passed the bottle back to me. I shrugged and took another decidedly smaller drink before passing it his way. "Don't give me that, there's a reason." He smirked.

"What are we Mister know it all all of a sudden?" I chuckled. The bitter liquid was becoming easier to handle as I drank, I still didn't know if that was good or not but judging by the slight smile that crossed his lips every time I made an attempt at it, he was enjoying my efforts. Either that or the pain on my face each time I was reminded of just how much it burned amused him, I couldn't be sure. Cynthia staggered over to us drunkenly and dropped herself onto the bench next to him with an obnoxious giggle, nearly spilling her beer all over the table as he reached out to help her keep her balance.

"What are ya doing all the way over here sweetheart?" She smiled without even acknowledging me.

"Drinkin, what's it look like I'm doing?" He smirked as he passed the bottle back to me. She swiped it from my fingertips and stared it down as she lifted it to her lips.

"Why not come over and sit with us." She smiled as she bit her lip and gave him a bad shot of fuck me eyes that could be seen from space.

"My friend's over here, that's why." He smirked as he swiped the bottle from her and placed it down in front of me. I took a long deep drink, ignoring the burn as I glared at her through the bottle. It would take more than a little buzz to keep me from ripping her eyes out as she stroked his arm and did her best to try and convince him. "Besides, ain't yer man over there waiting for you?" He sneered.

"Who Corey? He ain't no man baby."

"Well I ain't interested so yer waistin yer time." She pouted gently as she reached for the bottle once more. Daryl grabbed her wrist and tossed it away before she could swipe it from me and I chuckled at the opportunity to see someone like her put in her place. "You've had enough sweetheart."

"You ain't my dad." She barked with a grin as she reached for it one last time. I swiped the bottle from her and took a drink as she scoffed before turning her attention back to Daryl. "Come on just come sit with us."

"How many times you gotta be told to piss of before you get the point?" I smirked as I passed the bottle back to Daryl.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Cynthia stood up and stared me down as she placed a well manicured hand on her hip.

"You know what," She barked.

"What?" I stood and threw my hands up. Daryl watched with a grin as she leaned in toward me, fire burning in her eyes.

"Fuck you that's what."

"Wow, how long did ya have to search your vocabulary for that one?" I smirked. She reached over the table, grabbing a lock of hair and pulling me down as she spat.

"You crazy bitch cunt!" She shouted as I struggled against her. I don't quite know when Daryl stood or when he pulled out his knife but I sat up as she released me and looked up at her, smirking at the fear in her eyes as he stood, his blade buried in the table in front of me and a cruel grin twisting his lips.

"Back the fuck off." He growled as she stared at him, bewildered and afraid.

"What the fuck?" She whispered as he pulled the knife from the table and tapped it gently on her chest.

"Rules have changed little girl, you'd do well to remember that." He eyed her as he reached up with his free hand and pushed her away gently.

"Ok, ok." She whispered as she backed away slowly, shooting me a nasty glance before turning and nearly jogging back to her group. Daryl sheathed his knife and sat back down, taking the bottle from in front of me and closing his eyes as he chugged.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He muttered as he slammed it back down in front of me. "Grab yer shit."

"What why?" I asked quickly as he stood.

"Don't feel like sittin around here anymore." He sighed as I grabbed my backpack and threw it over my shoulder. "Let's go somewhere quiet." I grabbed the bottle and nodded as we walked quickly out of the cafeteria leaving Cynthia and her group of plastics far behind.


	7. Chapter 7

"Full house." Daryl chuckled as he placed his cards down in front of me.

"What?" My jaw dropped open as I counted them. I grabbed his wrist and turned it around, checking for any sign of a hidden card.

"I ain't hidin nothin." He chuckled as I sat back down and pushed the pot toward him.

"You little shit." I scoffed. I swiped the cards from his hand and shook my head. "No way yer dealin again." He shrugged as I began to shuffle and picked up the half full bottle of Tequila that lay neglected in front of me.

"And why not?" He smirked.

"Because," I began to deal as he took a long drink. "Every time you deal you win and that ain't fair."

"Ain't a matter of fair or not." He smirked as he placed the bottle down in front of me.

"Then what is it?" I took a long drink before finally picking up my cards.

"You just suck at poker." I smirked as I brought the cards closer to my face, the symbols had started blending into each other about three shots ago and as someone who had never really been drunk before it was a slightly unnerving thing to see.

"Playing for buttons sucks." I muttered as I squinted my eyes slightly to get a better look.

"At least we found something, you bettin or folding?"

"Betting." I grumbled and threw a small handful in between us. My pile was shrinking fast and seeing as how I couldn't be so sure that I wasn't holding the sixteen of spades it was a good bet that that wouldn't be changing any time soon. "I wish we were playing with real money." I huffed as I took another drink from the bottle between us. He pry'd it from my fingertips and chuckled as he took a sip and placed it next to him.

"Not like you can spend it now."

"No, but I can dream. Hey why'd you take that from me?" I asked nodding toward the bottle.

"I'll give it back, pace yerself girl." I smirked as his eyes met mine. "What?"

"I like it when you call me girl." I chuckled lightly.

"Your fucked." He laughed loudly as I stared him down.

"What?"

"Just fold or throw down." He smiled as he shook his head. I tossed my cards on the ground between us and grinned proudly "And that is?" He asked with a smirk.

"I don't know but I think I won."

"Ok, lets see here..." He trailed off as he looked over my cards. "Ya nothing, that ain't a winning hand." He chuckled.

"Really is that what you think?"

"That's what I know sweetheart."

"Ok well tell me something mister know it all." I spoke quietly as I managed to stumble onto my knees.

"What's that?"

"How you gonna win if ya ain't got a hand?" I nearly shouted as I ripped the cards from his hand and held them behind my back.

"Hey now." He laughed as he reached for me. "That was a good hand give those back."

"Nope." I giggled as I attempted to stand, the world spun around me as I lifted myself and it didn't take much for him to overpower me, wrapping his arms around my back and pinning mine in place. I struggled to hold onto the cards and for a moment I was proud of my achievement.

"Let go." He laughed as he tried to pry them from my fingers.

"Not a chance." I closed my eyes as my frantic peals of laughter took over. He pulled me close to him, resting his chin on my shoulder and as he looked down I could feel the prickly hairs of his beard tickling my skin only adding to the fit of laughter that was making it hard to make sense of anything.

"How the hell..." He groaned as he pulled at them.

"Got a hell of a grip." I chuckled as I came back to reality and struggled against him.

"Give em back, I'm warnin ya."

"Not gonna happen." My jaw ached from laughter and honestly I wasn't sure just how long I could hold out. I had a hell of a grip that wasn't a joke but he was strong and it was everything in me to keep hold of the slick laminated cards in my fingers as he tried his best to rip them from me. He pulled back and grinned as I struggled to get away; I don't know when it happened, how or even why, maybe it was the booze, maybe it was the lack of oxygen going to my brain but somehow I missed it.

My heart hammered in my chest and my stomach dropped to the ground as I closed my eyes and tried like hell to commit the feel of his lips crushed against mine to the deepest most permanent depths of my memory. It wasn't romantic in any way, more like a war tactic and God help me it worked. I tried to fight it but it wasn't long before I went limp in his grip and dropped the cards into his hand and not a second had passed before he pulled away from me and slammed his cards onto the floor where we had been playing.

"Royal flush! Winnin hand!" He shouted victoriously as he took his seat and with that another drink. I stood dumbstruck, my eyes staring off into nothing as I thought about what just happened, a blush warming my cheeks as he watched me.

"Did you just..."

"Yup." He interrupted me with a smile. "Worked didn't it."

"You slick son of a bitch." I glared down at him before making my best attempt to get back into my spot, somehow it was harder to sit down without falling then it was to stay standing and for the life of me I couldn't quite figure out how that was possible.

"You shoulda heard yer heart beatin there girl." He spoke quietly as he passed me the bottle. My cheeks grew hot and I lowered my eyes as my body turned red.

"Shut up." I muttered through an embarrassed smile. _"Shut up? Was that really all you could come up with?" _ I drowned out the thought with another drink, not willing nor able to make eye contact with Daryl as I passed the bottle back to him. He ran his fingertips gently over the back of my hand as he took it from me, accident or on purpose I couldn't really be sure.

"Don't be shy girl." I groaned loudly and shook my head.

"Stop that."

"Stop what?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Being... you." I smirked as I looked up at him for a quick second before turning my eyes back to the ground.

"Can't really do that now can I?" He chuckled. I looked up and took a glance around the teachers lounge hoping to steady my vision but the more I peered around the room the more my world began to spin. "You ok?" I heard his voice from somewhere far away and somehow I managed to shake my head. I heard him move, felt his hands as he cupped my face and steadied myself as he forced me to look into his eyes. "You ever been drunk before?" I shook my head.

"First time." I offered a weak smile.

"Ok, just close yer eyes." He pushed my head down and patted my back as I sucked in a couple a deep breaths hoping to pull myself out of the haze that surrounded me. "You gonna be sick or somethin?"

"No." I chuckled lightly. "No, just dizzy." He gripped my arms and helped me to my feet, pulling me against him and chuckling as he walked me slowly to the moth eaten couch near the back of the room. He laid me down gently and I smiled in thanks as he pulled a pillow from my feet and rested it under my head.

"Any better?" He whispered. I nodded gently and immediately wished I hadn't.

"Oh God." I groaned. "As long as I don't do that." He chuckled and patted my arm gently.

"You'll live." He sat down on the floor next to the couch, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't take my eyes off of him as he moved. I reached out and tapped his shoulder gently pulling my hand away as he looked over at me questioningly.

"Did I ever thank you?" I asked quietly.

"For what?" He reached over quickly, pulling my backpack towards him and began fishing through it.

"Saving me, giving me a chance, drinking with me..." He smirked as he handed me a half full water bottle. I took it from him graciously and ran my fingers over the cap slowly as I looked down. "That kiss was a nice touch." I smirked.

"Ya?" He smiled as he reached over and took the bottle from my hand and twisted it open before handing it back to me. "Drink." I lifted the bottle to my lips and closed my eyes as I savored its sweet taste, relief in a bottle and I was thankful for every last drop. He took the empty bottle from me and tossed it to the side, I chuckled as it landed on the carpeted floor with a hollow thud.

I rolled onto my side and made myself comfortable as he stared ahead of him with a twisted smile. "Two reasons." He spoke in barely more than a whisper.

"What?"

"There's two reason's I saved you." I propped myself up on my arm and watched him, more than just a little interested in what he had to say. "One," He smiled. "I'm not a monster, I couldn't just leave you to die."

"And the second?" I asked quietly. A smile crossed his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck, I was beginning to think it was a nervous tick of his.

"I love my brother but I don't want it to be just me and him you know." I nodded.

"I can relate."

"Ya?" He looked up at me.

"Sure, I love my brother too but if I was stuck with just him I don't think he'd make it a week." He smirked and nodded as he turned his attention back to his hands. "You're pretty." I smirked as I laid my head back down on the beaten up pillow beneath me.

"Pretty?" He chuckled. "Ya can't come up with somethin better than that?"

"Fuck you I'm drunk." I sighed as I closed my eyes.

"Language." He reprimanded me with a laugh. I listened as he adjusted himself and found myself surprised as his lips grazed my forehead softly.

"What was that for?" I smiled without opening my eyes.

"Fer drinkin with me." I peeked as he began to move around once again, watching as he laid himself down with a tired groan. "It was fun." He whispered from beneath me.

"Hopefully next time you won't have to babysit me like this." I smiled as I adjusted myself once again, making the best of the springs that poked into my sides.

"Next time?"

"Oh we need a rematch that poker game was bullshit." I smiled as he laughed and closed my eyes letting the sweet grip of sleep wash over me and hoping like hell that the nightmares would stay themselves at least for tonight and let me enjoy the first good day since the world went to hell.


	8. Chapter 8

"Wake up sleeping beauty." I groaned as Merle's voice boomed through the room, rousing me from my peaceful sleep. I rubbed my eyes as he nudged his brothers side with his boot. "Come on now we got work to do."

"Like what?" Daryl groaned as he sat up and stretched. "We ain't leavin are we?"

"Naw." He chuckled as he took a look around the room. "What the hell did y'all get up to last night?" He smirked. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair as Daryl let out a slight chuckle.

"Found out that this one sucks at poker." He motioned back at me. Merle turned his attention toward me, his eyebrow rose as I turned away.

"That ain't surprising." He smirked. "Come one Darylina get up," He kicked his leg lightly as he grinned. "Let's go."

"Can't ya see I'm movin." He groaned as he got to his feet, flashing a quick look back at me. "What the hell are ya in such a rush for anyway?"

"Well," Merle sniffed loudly as I stood from the couch and stretched my back into a more comfortable position. "We're gonna be here a few days it seems, might as well make sure it's safe."

"It's safe enough."

"Hey now, I didn't ask fer no lip." Merle barked as he gripped his brother by the back of his neck. "I told ya what were doin and if you wanna take the kid with ya fine by me just get it done." He shoved Daryl away forcefully before popping his neck loudly and breaking into a smile. "Now then, time ta get ta work." He laughed as he looked to me before marching out of the room.

I reached down and grabbed Daryl's crossbow, a weak smile crossing my lips as I handed it to him. "Are you ok?" I asked softly. He ripped the weapon from my fingers, a fierceness in his eyes as he slung it over his shoulder.

"Fuckin peachy." He growled. I'd be lying if I said it didn't sting, the way he growled at me but I brushed it off and slipped my shoes on, grabbed my backpack and followed him quietly out of the room. We turned down the hallway and stepped gently over Cynthia and a few of her sleeping friends, no use rousing the beast as we made our way into the cafiteria.

Merle and a few boys from the group were hunched over a table peering at something as they muttered quietly to one another. It wasn't until we got closer that I realized that it was a map of the school.

"So what's the plan?" Daryl asked as he stepped up to them, leaving me to stand in the background. I peered over his shoulder as Merle began pointing out sections of the large building.

"Seems Corey and his friends already got started, they got this back wing here sectioned off and the front entrance locked up tight."

"So what needs checkin out?"

"Well," Corey thought for a moment. "There's two wings left to section off and the upstairs should be safe enough unless these dead fuckers learned to scale walls." He laughed lightly as he turned his attention back to the map.

"We should check it out anyway." I spoke quietly as I moved around Daryl and made my presence known.

"Why?" He sneered. "I told ya it was safe."

"Have you been up there to check?" They turned to me and waited as Corey rolled his eyes.

"I told ya unless they learned..."

"That doesn't mean that one or two didn't get in before you got here." I snapped quietly. "That and there's a fire escape up there that leads into the street, they may not be able to climb walls but they can sure as hell use the stairs."

"It's fine troll."

"No," Merle interrupted. "No she's right."

"Really man you're siding with her?"

"No I aint never said that but she does have a point, best to be safe about it."

"Thank you." I smiled over at Merle as Corey shook his head and turned his eyes back to the paper in front of us.

"Don't go thankin me yet, you still got a lot ta prove." I nodded and looked down at the map quietly.

"Anythin else?" Daryl asked quietly. Corey shook his head.

"No that's about it."

"Alright then, let's get going." Merle grabbed his gun from the table and shoved it in his belt as Daryl grabbed my arm and began leading me toward the large staircase behind us. I walked quickly to keep up with his long strides, tripping over myself and everything in between as I struggled to catch up to him.

"Slow down." I called as I ran down the hallway and stopped breathlessly at his side. "You walk too fast man."

"Keep up or go back downstairs." He growled as he turned away from me and continued down the dark hallway.

"Hey wait a minute." I called after him. He stopped, his back to me as he looked over his shoulder. "Why are you being so mean all of a sudden?" I walked slowly to his side and waited as he stared down at his feet. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked quietly. He shook his head and sucked in a sharp breath.

"I suppose you want an apology." He muttered as he looked up at me, anger still dripping from his beautiful baby blues. I shook my head as I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"No, I just wanna know why yer acting like we ain't friends all of a sudden." Something in his face changed in that moment, maybe it was his eyes or the weak half smile he offered me but for a moment I caught a glimpse of the man from last night.

"Sorry."

"I said I didn't want an apology." I smirked.

"Doesn't mean I don't owe ya one." He nodded.

"So maybe work with me instead of against me here?" He looked at me for a moment before his face softened and he nodded.

"Which way you wanna go?" He asked, nodding toward the path in front of us.

"Well if we go left we end up in the science labs and right takes us to the English department so I guess it doesn't really matter."

"Well where's this fire escape you were talkin about?"

"This way." I smiled as I took a few tenitive steps toward the science lab.

"So were you born in Georgia?" I asked quickly as we peeked in to the first room. He brushed past me and stepped inside, his weapon at the ready as he searched every corner of the classroom.

"What?" he sneered as he pulled open a closet door and peered inside.

"Were you…"

"I heard what you said." He smirked as he dropped his guard and turned to me. "Why the hell do you wanna know?" I shrugged.

"I wasn't."

"Yeah?" He nodded as he went back to his search, ducking to take a better look under each long black topped lab desk.

"I was born in Alabama." I smiled as I pulled myself onto the teacher's desk and lifted a solid bronze apple, rolling it in my hand as he pulled open the last closet door and looked inside.

"Am I sposed to care?" He chuckled as he walked back toward me. I smirked and shook my head, dropping the apple back onto the desk with a loud thud.

"Do you care?" He shrugged as I jumped off of the desk and onto my feet. "You know talking is how you get to know someone."

"I know ya well enough, don't think I need to know where you were born."

"Well enough huh?" He looked over his shoulder as we walked into the hallway and toward the next room.

"Sure." He shrugged. "Yer eighteen, you suck at poker and when things get tough you hide in a closet." I scoffed and stopped in my tracks, watching him as he moved into the next room. He stopped in the doorway and turned to me, a smirk on his face. "Its true aint it."

"Everything but the closet part." He shrugged.

"Can't be right all the time." I crossed my arms at my chest and waited as he turned and disappeared behind the doorway. "Come on Alabama." He shouted. "Can't stand around all day."

"Oh ya?" I chuckled as I caught up with him. "Well following you around seems like a waste of time."

"Yeah why's that?" He stopped and turned to me.

"Do you really need me tagging along that badly?" I smirked.

"Ok fine, go check out some of the other rooms."

"I don't have a weapon."

"Jesus." He smiled. "You are a pain in the ass when you wanna be." I crossed my arms once again and eyed him as he shook his head. "Fine," He thrust his crossbow into my chest and smirked. I shook my head. "What now?"

"You use it better than I do."

"Ok well it's either that or nothing so take yer pic girl." I took a step toward him, pressing myself against his hard frame as he stared down at me.

"There's always another choice." I whispered as I uncrossed my arms, letting my fingers rest gently at the cold metal buckle of his belt. His body stiffened as I pressed myself hard against him and snaked my hands around his waist.

"The hell are you doin?" He whispered as I lifted myself, moving dangerously close to his lips. My breath caught in my throat and my heart thundered in my chest as I smirked. Something about the sultry, smoky way he growled at me made my toes curl and for a moment I was afraid I had pushed myself past the point of self-control.

I lingered there for a moment, breathing him in as my fingers gently wrapped around the handle of his knife.

"Just taking advantage of another option." I whispered, pressing myself against him once more as I slipped the knife from its sheath and brought its tip to rest on his chin. His lips twisted in a grin as he looked down at me, grabbing my hand and pushing the knife away from his face. I chuckled as he shook his head and stood straight, pushing me away from him slightly.

"You think that's funny?"

"Aint too much fun when yer on the other side is it?" He smirked and turned his back to me.

"That's dirty." He shook his head. "Yer a god damn beast." I laughed as I took a few steps toward the door. "Go on then," He waved me away. "You had yer fun." He chuckled. "But hey," I turned as he called out to me. "Don't go too far. You get into trouble I wanna be able to hear you." I nodded before turning the corner and leaving Daryl behind. My heart still thundered as I moved slowly down the hallway and stepped into another empty classroom. I was surprised at how easy it was to twist his gears and how hard it was not to push just a little farther… test the boundaries so to speak.

I couldn't shake him from my thoughts as I stepped through classroom after dusty empty classroom, checking each nook and corner for any sign of life, or rather the lack thereof. I thought of the sound of his voice each time he growled my name, deep and smoky as it rolled off his tongue and over me like water. The way my heart pounded when he got close to me and the way his stare set my nerves on fire.

Was it lust? The start of something more? Or was it simply teenage hormones that made my thoughts spin and my mind lose control?

I pressed my back to the far wall and closed my eyes. "Get a hold of yourself Ari." I groaned as I reached up and ran my hands over my face. He was beautiful sure but that was no reason to lose focus, to go risking my life.

My attention turned to the room across the hall as the sound of wood cracking echoed around me. I peered into the doorway but saw nothing other than a dusty old chalkboard hanging on the wall. With my stolen knife in hand I crept out into the hall, hoping to find whatever it was that lurked in the shadows before it found me.

**A/N – As you read this I am already hard at work on the next chapter and I plan to catch up here soon. I know I have been promising reliable updates but alas my work betrays me :P **

**I have been working a lot on my novel Wolves among Men and unfortunately that means that fan fiction has fallen to the side as I work to create a career for myself but rest assured that each and every one of you means the world to me. It's your reviews and love that keep me writing. **

**I want to thank Roaddog 469 for her mention in the pages of her newest Boondock saints fic, xpoppyx for being my favorite and loyal reader/reviewer and last but not least gurl3677 for all the ideas I get from her stories. **

**XOXOXO**

**Penelope**


	9. Chapter 9

I stepped into the empty classroom and ducked down as I searched for any sign of life hoping not to be seen as I slowly scanned the room. I held tight to Daryl's knife as I slid around the large oak teachers desk, using it as a barrier between myself and the unknown.

She stood no more than a few feet in front of me and at first I hardly recognized what I saw. She sniffed the air like some kind of wild dog in search of food as she wondered aimlessly around the classroom, her bloody and broken fingers trailing over the desks as she passed them. I could see the wound that made her, the chunk of flesh missing from her left arm as it dangled lifelessly at her side. I couldn't help but stare, I'd never been so close to one that wasn't trying to eat me.

I watched as she moved, as she growled and as she stumbled over her feet, turning toward me with a snarl. I ducked down behind the desk, the knife clutched at my chest as I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close." I whispered with a smile. My senses were suddenly assaulted with the stench of decay and my body shook with fear as I slowly and reluctantly opened my eyes. I didn't have time to gather my senses as he reached out and grabbed for me, barely missing me as I scurried to get out of his way.

It growled and snapped at the air in front of it as it came lunging at me once again, falling onto its stomach as I got to my feet and out of its reach. I'd nearly forgotten about the woman behind us, that was until I felt her arms wrap themselves around my waist. I fought and cried out as she came dangerously close to taking a bite out of my neck. I swung back, elbowing her in the chin but it did little to coax her arms into releasing me. She held me tight as the man from the floor got to his feet, a snarl and a groan escaping him as his eyes locked on me.

He came at me, arms outstretched as the woman tried once again to make a meal of me. I gripped her arms tightly, using her for leverage as I jumped up, kicking as hard as hard as I could with both legs. My feet hit his chest and he stumbled back, tripping over the large oak desk and landing on his back with a snarl. The woman that held me fell back and I braced myself as I realized she was going to take me with her and there wasn't a thing I could do to stop it.

We landed with a resounding thud and thankfully it was enough to coax her arms into freeing me. I rolled off of her as the man stumbled to his feet and she reached out from the floor, grabbing at my boots as I tried to kick her away. I got to my feet and readied my knife as she pulled herself up from the floor.

She came at me, teeth bared and arms outstretched and I reached back, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward me. I wasn't sure how it happened but as I pulled her toward me I managed to knock her onto her knees and in one swift motion, a blur of steel and sweat I buried the blade of Daryl's knife into the back of her skull.

She dropped to the ground, once again lifeless and I hardly had time to enjoy my success before a pair of cold hands were wrapped around my neck. I struggled to no avail as it pulled me back, snarling and growling as it slammed my back into the teachers desk behind us. Pinned between the cold hard desk and the frozen corpse that held me I kicked and swung keeping it barely at bay as its teeth snapped at the air between us.

I cried out, screaming into nothing as I reached for something, anything to aid me but the creature pressed on bringing me closer and closer to what I feared were my last moments.

Its strange, in moments like these they say that your life flashes before your eyes that everything comes crashing in on you like one beautiful revelation from the almighty himself but in this moment all I could hear was the ticking of a clock from somewhere far away.

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for what was to come but death hadn't come for me that day and for that I was grateful. The monster stopped, his snarls that pierced the air had gone silent and his hands released me. I opened my eyes, face to face with the tip of an arrow that had missed me by barely in inch. My heart raced and everything around me was deathly quiet as I gasped for breath, and sighed in relief.

"Ari?" I heard him scramble as his weapon clattered against the ground. He grunted as he pushed the man off of me and I stared up at him, a silent thank you as his body hit the ground beneath us. "You ok?" Daryl asked quietly as he took my hands and lifted me to my feet. I shook, unable to make sense of the world around me as he held me still. "Ari? Talk to me girl." He took my face in his hands and forced me to look into his. His eyes searched mine for any sign of life, I really wished I had responded with something better, anything other than the heavy sobs that shook me.

I pressed myself into his chest, fear and panic gripping me as he hesitated before gently wrapping his arms around me. "Yer alright." he tried as he patted my back. "Its... It's ok." He spoke softly as I shook against him. I don't know how long we waited, how long he held me like that but I opened my eyes as the sun was beginning to set outside the barred classroom window. I pulled back as my sobs began to die, sucking in a sharp breath and wiping the tears from my cheeks as he looked down at me nervously.

"You ok?" I nodded. He looked down and smiled as he caught sight of the woman I had managed to take down and a smirk crossed his lips. "Looks like ya did alright fer yerself."

"You shouldn't have had to save me." I sighed as I stepped over to her and ripped the blade from her skull. I wiped it off on my jeans before handing it to him and he smiled at me in thanks.

"No big deal." He muttered as he slid the knife back into the sheath at his hip. "Thats why I told ya not to go far."

"That's not the point." I sighed as I stormed out of the room. I heard him call after me as I turned the corner and walked as fast as I could down the hall. I should have been able to handle it, I had promised to carry my own but I was failing and that was bound to get me nowhere fast.

"Whats the matter troll? Scared of your own shadow?" Cynthia sneered as I stormed passed her. I stopped and turned, my face twisted with rage as she cackled with the rest of her group.

"I don't see you doing a god damn thing to help." I barked. She scoffed and crossed her arms at her chest.

"It's not my job."

"Really? What is your job Cynthia because last I checked being a two faced cunt is hardly a survival skill."

"Watch it troll." She barked as she took another step toward me.

"Don't call me that!" I shouted as I pulled my arm back and slammed my fist as hard as I could into her face. She fell back with a cry as she reached up to hold her bleeding nose.

"You bitch!" She cried as Corey rushed to her side and looked up at me in disgust.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"Just stay the hell out of my way." I sneered as I turned and made my way out of the cafeteria and back toward the teachers lounge. I stormed in and slammed the door shut behind me. I tried to feel bad about what I had done, I wasn't a fighter but somehow instead of remorse all I found inside me was relief; I had waited four long years to put her in her place and I had stood up for myself. I had changed in more ways that one since everything went to hell.

I stepped passed the discarded stack of cards left from the night before and threw myself down on the old dusty couch. I lay on my side and brought my knees up to my chest, closing my eyes as I tried as hard as I could to put the events of the day out of my memory.

"I thought I'd find you here." I opened my eyes slowly and watched as his feet inched toward me.

"What's it to ya?" I smirked as he rested his crossbow against the couch.

"Move over."

"No." He sighed as he reached down, lifting my head and taking a seat on the couch next to me. I sat up and rubbed at my eyes as he leaned back and watched me.

"Sleep well?" I shook my head as I pulled my feet up underneath me and turned toward him.

"What do you care?"

"Hey now, what's with being a bitch all of a sudden?" He smirked.

"I'm not." I muttered as I looked down.

"Really? I saw what you did ta blondie out there." I smiled as a slight blush crept across my cheeks. "You busted her wide open." He chuckled as he leaned back and turned his head toward me.

"Is she ok?"

"You broke her nose but I'm sure she'll survive." I chuckled slightly as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "So what happened earlier."

"What do you mean?" I asked trying my best to play dumb.

"Come on now, stormin off like I just broke up with ya or something." I shook my head and looked down as I played with my fingers nervously. "What was that?" He turned his head toward me and crossed his arms at his chest.

"I don't know." I shrugged.

"Bullshit." Daryl sat up and turned his body toward me. I sighed heavily and shook my head.

"I got upset ok, it happens."

"Why?"

"Why do you ask so many damn questions?"

"Ari." He barked as he eyed me.

"Okay," I sighed as I reached up and ran my fingers through my hair. "I screwed up Daryl, I should have been able to handle that but instead..."

"Whoa, wait a second..." He put up his hand to stop me. "You think ya screwed up." I nodded gently.

"You can't keep running to my rescue Daryl, I gotta be able to handle my own."

"You did." I looked up at him, shocked and a little confused.

"No I didn't, you had to save my ass."

"Ya took the other one out didn't ya?" He readjusted himself.

"Well ya but..."

"But nothing," he interrupted. "One girl with a knife versus two walkers and you think you fucked up?" I smiled slightly. "Come on Ari," He leaned his head back and faced me. "You did better than I thought you would."

"Ya?"

"Sure, and ya busted that bitches face open." He smirked as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes once again. "Bout damn time."

"Someone had to do it." I smirked. Daryl looked over to me, a smile shaping his lips. He groaned lightly and cracked his neck as he leaned forward on his knees.

"I don't know about you, but I need a drink." He chuckled as he looked to me.

"Again?" I smiled. He shrugged and leaned back again, turning his face toward me.

"You ain't gotta join me." I thought for a moment, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea... so long as I quit before things got bad.

"I can handle it."

"You sure about that?" He asked as he leaned forward once again. I reached out and gripped his shoulder, pulling him back before he got the chance to get to his feet.

"Hold on." His eyebrow rose as he leaned back and waited for me to speak. I closed my eyes for quick moment, sucking all the courage I could before I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his quickly, gently. I held steady for a moment, breathing him in as my stomach tied itself in knots. I don't know what was harder; gaining the courage to kiss him in the first place or the will to pull away but somehow I managed to find it, avoiding his eyes as I moved back to my side of the couch slowly.

"What was that fer?" he whispered as he watched me. I could feel his eyes burning through me as I stared down at my lap, my cheeks warming as they grew a deeper red with each passing second. I shrugged.

"For saving me." I spoke in barely more than a whisper. He reached over, pressing his finger just under my chin and lifting my face to his.

"You sorry or something?" He asked as I stared at him sheepishly. I shook my head and he dropped his hand. "Then why you actin shy?" He chuckled as I leaned back against the arm of the couch.

"Can we just forget it?" I smirked. Daryl shrugged and got to his feet, offering me his hand and helping me to mine.

"Sure," He smiled as I brushed myself off. "If that's what you want."

"Yes please," I chuckled. "And thank you." I followed close behind as we made our way out of the room and smiled in thanks as he held the door open for me. To be honest I was a little less than fond of the idea of getting earth spinningly drunk two nights in a row but after nearly being killed and making the boldest move in my life, nothing sounded sweeter than drowning it away and maybe, just maybe redeeming myself from last nights game.

**A/n - Happy friday the 13th! :D Thank you all for being patient with me, I hope you're enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying writing it! **

**XOXOXO **

**Penelope**


	10. Chapter 10

"You keep her away from me!" Cynthia quivered as we walked passed her and toward the kitchen.

Merle stood with his back to us as he searched through the discarded bags for whatever meager scraps were left. We had enough food to feed everyone for a few days, it just wasn't anything you would die to get. Freeze dried bits and bobs, dented cans of tomato soup, piles of crackers and stale bread were what was left to sustain us. It wouldn't be long before a trip to the store would become sorely needed.

Daryl stepped up and grabbed a bag from his brothers feet. He lifted it onto the counter and began sifting around for something decent. I reached past him and grabbed a half empty bag of cheetos popping one into my mouth as I turned away from them. I watched with a half cocked smile as Cynthia shook in the hands of her "Saviour" her poor excuse of a boyfriend that held her tight. Her eyes had already begun to turn purple and the skin of her nose had a deep gouge across the bridge. I looked down at my swollen knuckles as I popped another chip into my mouth and smirked.. I had forgotten about the over sized ring I had been wearing since I left my home.

I turned my eyes back to her and chuckled as she buried her face into Chad's chest, his glare of death doing nothing to faze me as I popped another cheeto into my mouth.

"She did alright." My ears perked up as the boys began to whisper behind me. "Took out two by herself."

"No shit?" The sound of rummaging stopped and I tried my best not to look like I was eavesdropping, a task that was truly easier said than done.

"Got one with a knife, finished the other off with an arrow." Merle chuckled loudly and I turned my eyes to the ground as I realized exactly what it was that he was doing.

"Not bad fer a pair of tits."

"So she can stay?" I waited anxiously as Merle sucked in a sharp breath.

"Why do you want her to stay so damn bad huh?"

"Why do you want her to leave?" Daryl barked. He began sifting through his bag again as Merle sighed.

"I don't like pets you know that."

"She aint no dog man." Daryl barked as he dropped something heavy onto the counter.

"It's another mouth to feed, to take care of." Merle barked. "She might as well be."

"Fine then it's my responsibility if ya wanna play it like that." I looked back as Merle waved his hand and went back to his own bag.

"Fuck it," he growled. "Do what ya want." I turned back around as Daryl slung the backpack over his shoulder and turned away from his brother. "Hey," He turned as Merle reached out to him. "I don't wanna hear you two goin at it now you hear me?" He spoke sternly as Daryl shook his head.

"Mind yer own damn business." He growled as he stomped toward me. I stared down at my half empty bag of chips hoping that he hadn't noticed me spying. Daryl stomped passed me, a scowl on his face as he made his way to the other end of the cafeteria and stopped next to one of the long tables near the back. I chewed slowly, waiting for any sign of what I should be doing and feeling too nervous to assume.

"You comin or what?" Daryl called back to me. I nodded gently and walked quickly over to him as he dropped his bag onto the long white table and sat down. I scooted into place on the bench opposite him and quietly popped another chip into my mouth as he pulled out a bottle of clear liquid and dropped it onto the table in between us. I looked up at him questioningly as he stole a chip from my bag and popped it into his mouth.

"What's that?"

"Vodka." He grunted.

"What happened to the tequila?" He looked up at me with a smirk as he stole another chip.

"You knocked it over when the world started spinnin without ya."

"Really?" I snickered. "I don't remember that."

"I do." He smirked as he swiped the bottle and twisted off the cap. "I was pissed but I can't blame ya." He smiled, taking a rather large swig before slamming it down between us and stealing yet another chip from my bag. I gave up the concept of ownership and pushed the bag in between us, grabbing the bottle and taking a quick sniff. It was sour and burned as I breath it in. I looked up as Daryl smirked, popping another chip into his mouth. Determined not to show weakness I tipped the bottle back and winced as I waited for the burn.

"All in all," I coughed lightly as I placed it back down between us.

"Ya?"

"Not as bad as the tequila." I chuckled as I popped a chip into my mouth in an attempt to quietly kill the burn. He laughed lightly as he reached into the bag and pulled out a box of animal crackers, tearing it open and shoving a small handful into his mouth. "No use for manners huh?" I chuckled.

"Blow me." He smiled as he washed it down with another drink.

"So," I began after a few moments had passed between us. "What was all that back there?" I nodded toward the kitchen. Daryl looked behind him at his brother who sat at a table with Cynthia's group of demons, laughing loudly with the rest of them. He turned back to me and shrugged.

"You heard?"

"You lied for me." He scoffed and took another deep swig from the bottle. I snatched it from his fingers and moved it out of reach, watching him as he glared at me.

"The hell?"

"You get drunk when I get an explanation." I smiled. He shook his head and popped another cookie into his mouth.

"Alright fine." He sighed, pushing his box to the side and leaned close to me. "I didn't want him pitchin a fit about me takin out that last walker, wasn't in the mood now can I have my bottle back?" he spoke quickly, reaching over and pointing to the bottle next to me.

"What about askin if I could stay?"

"What about it?" He sneered as he reached past me and grabbed the bottle.

"You asked him if I could stay like you were tryin to earn my place or something."

"That ain't it." He grimaced as he placed the bottle back down. "Can we talk about something else now?"

"Okay," I sighed as I lifted the bottle to my lips and took another drink. "how long are we staying here?" He shrugged as he looked back to his brother quickly.

"Depends on him." I groaned. "And judging by the way yer little friend over there is actin it'll be a while."

"What makes you say that?" I smirked as I looked around him to see Cynthia stroking the side of his face as she walked behind him. Daryl chuckled lightly as he took another large swig and slammed the bottle back down with a grimace.

"He's got eyes fer her."

"Oh no..." I groaned as I dropped my head into my hands. Even the thought of Cynthia tagging along with us was enough to make my head pound.

"What?" he laughed. "You ain't goin all spinny on me yet are ya?"

"Oh no, I aint even close to drunk." I laughed. "But really, Cynthia?"

"He ain't interested in her mind girl." Daryl laughed lightly. "She could be the biggest bitch in the world, ain't gonna matter to him as long as she puts out." I looked over his shoulder again, this time greeted by the ice cold stare she shot me from across the room. I lifted a finger in response before turning my attention back to Daryl. "How ya feeling?' he nodded toward me as he closed the box of crackers and shoved it back into the bag next to him.

"Fine I suppose."

"Good." He smiled, barely giving me time to finish my sentence. He stood from the table and slung the bag over his shoulder. "You comin?" He eyed me as he snatched the bottle from the table and took a step back. I watched it dangle from his fingers for a moment before lifting myself from the table and following silently behind him.

We made our way back to the sanctuary of the teachers lounge and I closed the door silently behind me as he tossed his bag onto the old couch. He walked toward me, his eyes fixed on mine as he pressed the bottle into my chest and waited for me to make my next move. I took it from his fingers and smirked as I lifted it to my lips, sipping at the clear liquid as it scorched my throat.

"Thanks." I grimaced as I handed it back to him.

"No problem." He smirked as his eyes locked on mine once again. In one quick motion his hands cupped my face, pulling me toward him and into his kiss. I didn't know what to do as he pressed my back into the door, his lips locked fiercely with mine. I couldn't breath, couldn't think as his fingers tangled in my hair. He opened his mouth against mine, I could taste the alcohol on his breath as I finally relaxed under his grip.

Regrettably I relaxed a little too much and the bottle slid from my fingers landing with a thud on the carpet. Nearly instantly he broke away and reached down, grabbing it before it spilled out what was left onto the floor.

"That's alcohol abuse sweetheart." He grumbled as he took a swig and walked away from me, placing it on an abandoned table. I was frozen, stunned as I watched him pull a bag from the floor onto the table. I wiped my mouth shyly as he sifted through the black duffel bag and tossed a shirt at me. I fumbled to catch it and watched him questioningly as he tossed the bag back onto the floor.

"What's this?"

"What's it look like?" He smirked as he once again grabbed the bottle and began to walk over to me.

"Okay," I smirked. "What's it for?"

"Figured you might be hungry." He sneered as he took a drink and thrust the bottle toward me. I moved his hand away and shook my head.

"Thank you but no," I chuckled. "I would like to enjoy the night this time, not forget it." He shrugged, placing the bottle at his feet. "Can I ask a favor?" Daryl shrugged as he shoved his hands into his pockets and watched me carefully. "The school lockers are just down the hall," I motioned behind me. "They have showers but I wouldn't mind having someone keep an eye out while I take one."

"Do I get to watch?" His eyebrow rose as I broke into soft laughter.

"Negative." I smirked. Daryl shrugged and moved away from me, grabbing the bottle before dropping onto the moth eaten couch. "So your not coming?"

"You can handle yourself." He shrugged as he tipped the bottle toward his lips. "Take my crossbow if yer than paranoid." My eyes flicked to it as I slung the shirt over my shoulder.

"You sure?"

"Go on." he shrugged. I picked it up gingerly and slung it over my shoulder, shooting him one last glance before leaving the room and shutting the door gently behind me.

It was a quick walk to the lockers and thankfully an uneventful one at that. I flipped on the light and squinted slightly as the room came to life with the gentle hum of florescence. I slid the door shut and began to walk slowly past the rows of lockers, glancing between them every now and again, making sure that nothing was moving in the shadows of the room. I stopped as I came up on my old locker and turned into the isle that held it.

It took some prying to get it open and for once I was glad that Daryl wasn't there as I jammed the tip of one of his arrows into the lock and busted it open. I dropped the crossbow onto the small thin bench behind me and slid open the door, searching inside for anything useful.

"Yes!" I whispered excitedly as I found something I never thought I would be so excited to see in my life. Fresh socks and clean underwear and... I smiled brightly as I pulled out what would be the first clean bra I would wear in a month. Thank God for being overly cautious about such things. In the back hid a fresh pair of jeans and gratefully I pulled them to the front, dropping them onto the pile of clean clothes next to me and just barely catching photograph that slid out of my locker and fluttered to the floor after it.

I flipped it over and stared down at my brothers smiling face as he held up a fish nearly as big as I was. My mother waved from the fire pit in the back while my father nursed a beer in his hands, almost unaware of what was going on around him. I felt the familiar sting of tears behind my eyes as I shifted my focus back to my brother, the only member of my family that ever really new me. He smiled down at me as I laughed and cringed away from the fish, the summer before everything went to hell; the last happy memory I had.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and shoved the picture into my back pocket, slamming the locker door shut and gathering my clothes quickly, eager to get out of there and put it all behind me.

It didn't take me long to grab a towel and make my way toward the showers. And it took even less time for me to strip down and get the water going. It wasn't until I pulled my shirt over my head that I realized just how caked in blood, dirt and everything in between I actually was, it was a wonder Daryl even wanted to touch me.

...My heart jumped at the thought. I reached up and brushed my fingers over my bottom lip as I began to smile at the memory. I shook myself from the thought and quickly climbed into the open shower, grabbing a bar of soap and making quick work of the various red stains that littered my skin. It felt great even though the water was warm at best, as long as it did the job I was happy and I smiled as I closed my eyes and allowed the rush of warm water to run over my face.

I caught myself chuckling as I washed my hair and felt my body finally begin to relax. It's amazing what a few gallons of warm water can do after a horrifying day. Just as I finished rinsing the last of the soap from my hair I heard the familiar sound of footsteps as they echoed through the gym, bouncing off the porcelain walls and quickly I turned to face them.

"I thought you said you weren't coming?" I called with my eyes closed. "Got worried after all?" I waited for a moment as the sound of the footsteps moved closer. "Daryl?" I called out once again as I reached to shut the water off. I wiped the water from my eyes and pulled a towel from the rack quickly wrapping it around me and peering around the corner. "Daryl?" I called again.

Nothing.

"Merle?" I listened for a moment as the sound seemed to stop. "Is anyone there?" It wasn't a voice that called back to me, not a female nor a male but the sounds of a creature I had become accustom to. I stepped back quickly, grabbing Daryl's crossbow and lifting it to the ready. I slid across the floor being careful not to slip as I peered around corners, ready to strike if I saw even the slightest sign of movement.

My thoughts moved to the events of the day, the close call that had nearly taken me and it took nearly every ounce of strength I had to push it from my mind and stay focused on the task at hand.

I screamed as a pair of cold hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me back. I struggled against it, slipping on a pool of water and landing on my back at its feet. I stared up at him, Brian Summers it didn't take much to recognize the jock that made my life a living hell while he was still of the living. I rolled out of his way as he reached down for me and scrambled to reach the weapon that has slid just out of reach.

"Ari?" he shouted as the door at the end of the hall flew open. The creature turned toward him, a deep guttural growl escaping it's chest as it began shuffling toward him. I moved to my knees and steadied my aim and hoped for the best as I fired the only shot I had at the ready. I watched as it fired into the back of its skull and with one last gurgle of life it fell to its knees. Daryl stared over at me as I struggled to catch my breath, a smirk crossing his lips as I dropped the weapon. He stepped over the creatures lifeless body and offered me his hand.

I took it graciously, handing back his crossbow and adjusting my towel. I offered a silent prayer of thanks that it hadn't come undone and waited as he slung his weapon over his shoulder.

"Thanks for coming." he reached up and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"You want me to stay while you.. uh..." he motioned toward my towel. I looked down and chuckled.

"Oh, no it's ok."

"You sure cause I can..."

"No I'm sure," I smirked. I could feel my face growing red at his refusal to look away. "I'll um, I'll meet you back in the lounge." He nodded shyly, a smile shaping his lips as he took one last look before turning and leaving me to the task. I watched as he left and breathed a sigh of relief. Its not that he made me uncomfortable but something about the way his eyes lingered made it hard for me to do much other than blush.

Pushing it from my mind I reached down and flipped over Brian's lifeless body. I nudged him with my foot, watching as his head lolled to the side. I remembered Junior year. He was popular, a little too popular but I had eyes for him all the same. He asked me to the spring dance and I had never been so excited in all my life.

I had my dress ready, my makeup perfect and my hair just right. I waited on my front steps, waited for him to come and get me but he never showed. It wasn't until the sun came down and my mother joined me on the porch with a fresh plate of cookies that I realized he wasn't coming at all. I sneered as I kicked his side once again and stepped away from him. Better off dead was the right word for it and I paid no more thought to the asshole as I picked up my fresh pile of clothes and dressed myself, eager to get back to Daryl and the safety of the room.

**A/N - I hope that you lovlies enjoy this chapter. I have some good news, brace yourselves... Wolves among men, My first original novel has been picked up for publication by Black Butterfly press! We are currently negotiation a release date for early spring of next year! I will keep you updated as I hear things. But I wanted to thank you all for helping me along in my journey. Writing for you beauties is what has kept me inspired and all your kind reviews and words of encouragment have been the very thing that pushed me to try as hard as I could for this. **

**Thank you so much! **

**XOXO**

**Penelope**


	11. Chapter 11

I slid the door shut behind me and finished toweling off my hair as Daryl looked up at me from the couch.

"Feel better?" I shrugged as I walked past him and took the bottle from his lap, lifting it to my lips and sucking back as much as I could handle before he stood and snatched it away from me. "Easy now, I thought you said you didn't wanna black out again?" He snickered as he dropped it onto the table next to him.

"I don't," I grimaced. "I just want to forget the part about the walkers." Daryl nodded. I tossed my towel onto the couch and stood silent, waiting for him to say something or to at least take his eyes off of me. To be honest I liked it when he watched me, something about his gaze and how he studied me with the kind of fierceness reserved for a hunter made my stomach tie in knots, my body twitch and my mind fall blank.

"I talked to Merle while you were ...uh..." He trailed off as he nodded toward the showers and nervously began to rub at the back of his neck.

"Oh," I smiled sheepishly as he turned his eyes from me. "What about?"

"I don't like being indoors much." He muttered as he turned from me and fell back onto the couch. "We're headed toward Atlanta but I thought maybe I'd go huntin for a day or so, russel up something to take with us and we can meet up at the edge of town later."

"Oh." I nodded reluctantly. He looked up at me and I would have been a fool to think he'd miss the disappointment in my eyes. "So is there any chance I can catch a ride with you to Atlanta?" I asked softly as I slid onto the couch next to him. He took a quick drink and sighed as he nestled the bottle in between his legs.

"I thought you'd want ta hang around here, yer home town and all." I smirked and shook my head.

"What kind of a chance do you think I have here Daryl." I peered over at him as he stared down into nothing. Sometimes I wanted so bad to know what was going on in that head of his, what he thought of me, the world hell even his own brother.

"Seem's like you could get on fine ta me." I sighed heavily and threw myself back against the couch. I reached over and gripped the bottle, looking up as his body tensed behind my arm. I stifled a soft smile at the reaction before pulling the bottle free and lifting it to my lips. I winced as it burned behind my tongue. No matter how many times I sipped I always seemed to forget about that detail.

"To be honest, maybe I could." I shrugged. "But lets face it you found me in a closet half dead I'm sure it's much more likely I'd be dead in half a weak." I rolled my eyes as I took another drink.

"I could see that" He chuckled. I never heard him laugh or even saw him smile much outside of that little room. So cold and closed off to the people around him I couldn't help but wonder what it was about being alone with him that made him smile like that. Either way I found myself grateful that at least I got to see it. "So I guess it's yer choice." He shrugged as he took the bottle from my hands and without taking a drink slipped it back in between his legs, staring down at it as he waited for me to answer.

"It's safe there."

"That's what I hear." He nodded.

"But what if it's not?"

"Then we go somewhere else." He shrugged as he lifted the bottle to his lips before dropping it back into its place.

"We?" I asked shyly. He glanced at me and shrugged slightly.

"Merle and me." I dropped my gaze and played with my fingers nervously as I thought about what I wanted to say. Going to Atlanta sounded nice. Before the radio's stopped there was something about the military turning it into a safe zone but that was nearly a month ago and there was no telling what it would be like now. The truth of it was I had a better shot at Daryl's side than I did anywhere on my own and more than that, there was so much more I wanted to... Needed to know about the man next to me.

"Answer me something." His eyebrow rose as he turned his gaze toward me. "You fought for my place here didn't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said in the cafeteria. I heard you and Merle talking and it sounded like you were bartering my way in, like you wanted me to stay." He rubbed at the back of his neck and shook his head.

"Ali it ain't like that."

"Tell me the truth." I smiled as I turned my body toward him. He sighed heavily and shook his head, avoiding my eyes for all it was worth.

"I told ya the damn truth." He sneered and stood from the couch. I watched as he stepped away from me and took one last drink before dropping the bottle onto the teachers desk in front of him.

"What that you didn't want to hear Merle bitching?" I mocked with a smile. He looked back at me and I saw him fighting back a smile before the fierceness returned to his eyes.

"I aint a liar." He spat before turning his back to me.

"I never said you were, I just implied that you were lying about this particular thing." I watched as he shook his head and turned, storming toward me with the same fire behind his cobalt blue eyes.

"Dammit woman can't you just fucking leave it be?" He growled.

"No Daryl." I barked back, getting to my feet and stepping toward him. "Not this time, you want me to go with you to Atlanta I know you do," I tried to match his fierceness, tried to match the fire that burned behind his eyes but it was hard to disguise the crack in my voice and the thundering of my heart in my chest as I closed the distance between us. "But you won't say it and you have no idea how aggravating that is."

"The hell makes you think yer so pleasant ta deal with all the time?" He bellowed. I took a step back as his gaze began to burn through me. "Yer constant questions, havin ta follow you around an make sure you don't get yer ass killed." He sighed as he shook his head and turned away from me.

"I never asked you to do that for me." I answered meekly.

"Ya well apparently someone's gotta or yer just gonna end up cowering in another closet half dead." He growled as he balanced himself against the desk in front of him. "I shoulda left ya where I found ya." He shook his head as he lifted the bottle to his lips and sucked back a drink. My eyes darted wildly as I did the best I could to hide the sudden rush of pain that washed over me. I choked back the tears and gripped at my stomach as he turned his head and sighed. "Shit." He muttered as I took a step away from him, avoiding his eyes. He reached out to grab me and I nearly stumbled back to avoid him. What had I done?

"Ali..." He pleaded as I turned my eyes to the ground and my back to him. I heard him call after me as I pulled open the door and nearly ran outside, letting it slam behind me. I darted down the hall barely noticing the sleeping bodies at my feet as I rushed through the kitchen and threw open the back door. The night was warm and after spending the last few days cooped up it did feel nice against my skin.

I looked out over the moonlit parking lot, allowing my eyes to adjust as I looked for any sign of movement. I let out a loud sigh as I realized that everything around me was dead silent and I was safe for what it seemed. I walked slowly, quietly over to the truck and pulled down the tailgate wincing as it squeaked and waiting to see if it caught anyone, or anything attention. After a few moments had passed I finished lowering it and climbed into the back of their truck, nestling myself next to Merle's bike.

It wasn't long before his words pierced the silence in my mind and just as quickly as that the tears came rushing after it. I brought my knees to my chest and stared out of the quiet desolate street; so many things had happened in such a small time, so many people lost and so many lives ruined at the hands of the greatest mystery we would ever know and yet somehow in the middle of it all I had managed to find safety, peace and friendship... at least I thought I had. I cried silently into the night, resting my forehead on my knees as I waited for it to pass.

I laid down on my side and closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them again everything would seem like just a bad dream. I could go home to my family, my brother and my friends. It would be like none of this had happened and with that thought came a sense of peace I had almost forgotten. But it wasn't the happy kind of peace, more like the bittersweet kind. If everything went back to the way it was I wouldn't have learned what I learned and I surely wouldn't have met him. Somehow he had become like a saving grace in the face of hell.

I opened my eyes to the sound of a light tapping on the side of the truck and lifted my head to greet him, but it wasn't his face I saw.

"Mornin sunshine." Merle grinned as he leaned over the edge of the bed and stared down at me. "The hell are ya doin out here?" He asked as he pulled something from his pocket. I shrugged and lifted myself fully, brushing my tangled hair from my face as my eyes struggled to adjust. "I see, I see." He nodded as he twisted the cap off of a little vial and began to carefully pour some onto his fingertip. He held it out to me, his eyes questioning as I looked up at him.

"Thanks." I shook my head. He shrugged and sniffed the powder from his finger, repeating the process once more before replacing the cap and shoving it back into his vest pocket.

"Trouble in paradise?" He sneered as I covered my mouth to yawn. I looked over at him, my head cocked and my eyebrow raised.

"Same could be asked of you, where's Cynthia?" I mocked with a tired crack in my voice. He chuckled deeply and flashed me a smile as he waved his finger at me.

"That's good. You're a quick thinker I like that."

"Thanks." I offered with a shrug. I watched as he walked around the truck and lowered the tailgate and offered me his hand.

"Come on now I don't bite." He smiled as he waved me over impatiently. "Less that is you want me to?" Another deep chuckle rose up from his chest as I took his hand and allowed him to help me from the truck. "You shouldn't be sleepin out here, it ain't safe for a pretty little thing like yourself." I adjusted my shirt and took a step back. I'd been uncomfortable around him since the day I met him and out here in the dead of the night with no one to help I didn't want to leave myself open to whatever sickness Merle Dixon had in him.

"I just needed the air."

"Alright, okay I get ya." He nodded as he slammed the tailgate shut. I cringed and felt myself duck as I looked behind us waiting for something to come shambling from the shadows.

"You shouldn't be so loud, you'll bring em down on us." I muttered as I turned back to face him.

"Oh now isn't that just cute." He smirked. "Aint nothin out here ol Merle can't handle sugar." I smirked. "So what's the deal with you anyhow?" He asked as he leaned against the tailgate and lit himself a cigarette. I watched as the burning cherry lit up with each deep pull he took.

I shrugged and leaned back against the truck next to him. "What do you mean?"

"Where the hell did you come from sweetheart?" He asked with a sneer.

"Here I guess."

"Well now that doesn't tell me much." I waved away the thick cloud of smoke that he blew towards me as he spoke.

"What do you wanna know? I grew up here in this shithole of a town."

"Born an raised?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "On a little farm just outside of town."

"Now that's what I'm talkin about, how far is this little place of yours."

"Oh no," I shook my head and turned to face him. "We ain't goin there, I ain't going back."

"Well I don't believe I gave you the choice."

"Merle no." I barked, almost immidiatly regretting my decision.

"Listen here missy," He sneered as he tossed his cigarette to the ground. "I'm the one runnin this show, you hear me." He barked as he pointed his finger in my face. I cringed under his gaze and the way that the full moon cast its wicked shadow over his face didn't seem to help matters any. "If I say we go somewhere we go and if you don't like it well you can just go on back to that closet my brother found you in."

"As thankful as I am for that," I swallowed hard as I tried to disguise the fear in my voice. "I wont take you."

"Fine then where is it?" He growled. I shook my head and pressed myself as hard as I could into the tailgate behind me, an attempt to get as far away from his cold stare as I could. "WHERE IS IT?" he bellowed as he grabbed my arms and shook me. I cried in panic as he held me tight, his thick fingers digging into my skin.

"You're hurting me." I cried. He sneered and dug his fingers deeper, pressing my back into the truck as he stared down at me. In one swift motion his hand had found its way to my throat, pressing into me and holding me tight. I choked against his grip as he snickered, nothing but cruelty filled his eyes as I wrapped my fingers around his wrist.

"Good then maybe you'll start talking."

"HEY!" Merle took his eyes off of me as his brothers moonlit silhouette came jogging toward us. "The hell are you doing?" I watched as he came into view, my eyes pleading for help as Merle's grip began to loosen.

"Nothin that concerns you baby brother."

"The hell it doesn't." He growled as he gripped his brother by the shoulders and ripped him off of me. I coughed and gasped for breath as Merle stepped back, his eyes still locked on me.

"She's got a place we can hole up for a few days, maybe some supplies but the bitch ain't talkin." Merle barked as his brother stepped in between us.

"I told ya I ain't goin back there." I barely recognized my voice as I choked out the words.

"Quite Ali." Daryl barked without looking at me.

"I don't give a good god damn what you want." Merle barked as he stepped toward me.

"BACK OFF MERLE!" Daryl shouted as he shoved his brother back. I looked up and waited as Merle fumed at me, ready to strike. "You do this again, HEY LOOK AT ME!" He shouted, grabbing his brothers chin and forcing him to shift his focus away from me. "Do this again and it'll be the last mistake you make." He spoke steady and harsh, a fierceness in his voice I had never heard before. I waited, holding my breath as Merle's eyes flicked between the pair of us. His chest heaved with every breath and his fists clenched at his sides.

"You find out where that place is or I will." He growled before turning toward me. He spit on the ground at my feet and stormed back toward the school. The air was quiet, tense as we waited for the sound of the closing metal door behind him. Once I heard it I felt my body go limp and for a moment I thought I would go crashing to the ground beneath me.

"You alright?" Daryl whispered as he caught my shoulders in his hands and steadied me. I looked up at him and nodded, crossing my arms at my chest and rubbing gently at the still sore spot on my arms. "Forget him, he just gets crazy sometimes."

"You're gonna make excuses for him after that?"

"Ali don't," He shook his head as he held out his hand to stop me. "Please not now." I nodded quietly and leaned back against the truck once again. It was a long and extremely awkward silence as Daryl leaned back next to me and kept his eyes to the ground. I had nothing to say, after the fight and what had happened... what was there to say. Daryl sighed and kicked at the ground beneath him as he stood from the truck and stepped in front of me.

"I'm sorry." He spoke so quietly I barely heard him utter the words. "I uh... I do want you to come to Atlanta with us, with me."

"You do?"

"Sure," He nodded, his eyes still locked to the ground. "Yer my friend." He sighed heavily and reached up to rub the back of his neck, his eyes flicked to mine for a split second before returning to the ground beneath us. "Merle wants ta bring Cynthia with us." I groaned.

"God could this night get any worse." I caught a glimpse of his smile out of the corner of my eye before he turned his face from me to hide it.

"I figured you wouldn't like that so I talked to Merle."

"Yeah?"

"This farm of yours..."

"No Daryl not you to." I shook my head and turned away from him.

"What's so bad about it?" I looked up into his eyes and sighed.

"Bad memories." I groaned. "My dad wasn't exactly in the running for father of the year and... well I told you what happened with my mom before I left."

"Yeah I know." He looked down as he nodded. "Would you rather stay here?"

"Oh god no." I smirked. "I honestly don't think I could survive another day cooped up in this place."

"Then you have yer option."

"Daryl." I groaned. He reached out and gripped my shoulders again.

"Look I ain't sayin you need to kiss Merle's ass or nothin but he ain't too fond of you."

"Believe me I know." I smiled as I pointed toward my sore neck.

"A few days Ali," I shook my head. "A week tops and then well be on our way." I looked up at him and smiled. Yeah the idea was beyond horrid to me but I had never seen Daryl beg let alone ask me for anything.

"A few days?" He nodded. "Okay, but under one condition." Daryl groaned and let go of my arms, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets as I smiled up at him.

"Go on then." He moaned as I stared over at him with a smile.

"An address for a truth."

"Ah no not this."

"It's a different question." He stopped and turned toward me.

"Promise?" I nodded. He motioned toward me with a slight grin, waiting for me to speak.

"Why did you kiss me?" I couldn't be sure but as he looked over at me even under the light of the moon I could have sworn I saw him blush. He rubbed at the back of his neck, his nervous twitch of choice before sighing.

"Cause I wanted to."

"Thats it?"

"I don't know Ali it's the best answer I got." I chuckled lightly as I stepped toward him, placing my hand on his hip. His body tensed up under my grip as his eyes flickered quickly to the source of the contact. He pulled away from me and I drew my hand back.

"It's ok, I like that answer."

"So we gotta deal then?" I nodded.

"Sure, but I don't like this."

"Well you gotta day to get used to the idea." He chuckled as he walked over to the truck and lowered the tailgate. "Help me with this." He sighed as he climbed up into the truck and began to ease his brothers bike out of the bed. I was afraid as he guided me through what to do, apparently having someone to guide it down was just important as having someone with strength and as he hopped down and lowered it the rest of the way onto the black top below us I couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction at my own assistance.

I watched as he climbed back up into the bed and offered me his hand, helping me into the truck and pulling the tailgate closed at our feet.

"Why are we staying out here?" Daryl shrugged as he unbuttoned his shirt and balled it up, motioning for me to lift my head. I followed his silent request and allowed him to place it underneath me.

"I told ya, I don't like being indoors much." He groaned as he laid down on his back next to me. "You can go inside if you want." he added quickly, turning his face toward mine.

"Can I take your shirt with me?"

"Hell no, that stays with me." he sneered as he looked back up at the sky.

"Then I'm staying too." I watched as a soft smile shaped his lips and his chest heaved slowly under the light of the pale moon. He closed his eyes and I couldn't help but look him over as he adjusted himself, placing an arm under his head and the other draped across his stomach.

"Can ya stop starin at me its weird."

"Sorry." I smirked. Daryl looked over at me and smiled lightly, moving his arm and motioning for me to come closer. Silently and shyly I did. I rested my head on his shoulder and listened closely to the sound of his heartbeat as his hand came to rest on my hip. Reluctantly I reached out, draping my arm over his stomach and I waited with shallow breaths for him to pull away or tense up as he did before but thankfully it didn't come. I nestled into him, thankful for the chance and closed my eyes. I was hopeful for our hunting trip, the chance to become a better fighter but at the same time I was scared. Scared of going back, scared of facing what had kept me bound to that place for so long and scared of the demons I left to inhabit the shadows of my once family home.


	12. Chapter 12

I grumbled as I woke to the burning warmth of the sun on my face. In small spurts it felt nice but when it had the chance to beat down on you mercelously well, let's just say it's not hard to imagine yoursef two steps closer to a fire than you'd like to be. I draped my arm over my face, sheilding it from the relentless rays and rolled onto my stomach.

"You awake?" I groaned in response. "Bout time." He smirked. "Thought you were gonna sleep all day."

"Do I have the option?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

"Not if ya wanna go hunting with me." He grumbled. I sat up and looked over at him as I waited for the sleepiness I felt to fade. He leaned against the truck with his back to me, looking down as he fiddled with something in his hands. I watched as his shoulders bulged and his back twitched as he worked and it wasn't long before I found myself damming the wife beater that stood in the way of me and my view. It wasn't until then that I looked down and realized I still held his shirt hostage and with a smirk I lifted it, turning it my fingers before dropping it onto my lap.

I'd hoped it was just a simple act of kindness as I thought back to him bundling it under my head in the bed of the truck and not just an act of repentance on Merle's behalf but somehow I couldn't bring myself to care. He lifted his hand to admire his work, I never knew how a man could spend so much time cleaning something as simple as an arrow but for Daryl it seemed like more of an art form.

"So where are we headed?" I asked as he bent down and shoved the fresh arrow into his quiver.

"Don't really know. I suppose south since that's where yer farm is." He shrugged as he tucked a red rag into his belt and leaned on the bed of the truck to face me. My stomach turned at the mention of it.

"You know I really don't wanna do this." I closed my eyes and shook my head. He reached over and pulled his shirt from my lap and I watched as he threw it on and buttoned it up.

"You know Merle didn't really wanna bring you along." He smirked.

"You guilt tripping me?"

"No." He snapped as he came around and opened the tail gate. He offered me his hand and despite my ability to climb out of the truck on my own I took it and allowed him to ease me onto my feet. "I ain't trying ta guilt ya into doin nothing Ari." He added sincerely as he slammed the gate shut and turned to me. "I guess I'm sayin thanks."

"That's your way of saying thanks?" He shrugged, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. "Alright, I guess I kind of owe you one." I smirked. He did manage to convince Merle to let me tag along and as much as I hated the idea of going home there was the chance that it would get me on big brothers good side. I jumped slightly as a door slammed shut behind me and a pair of heavy footsteps came barreling toward the truck.

"Headin out early little brother?"

"Ya, figure if we leave now we can get a jump on the hunt."

"Alright, okay. Any idea where this little farm house of hers is?" He motioned toward me. I glared at him as he waited for Daryl to answer… He sure didn't waste any time. Daryl nodded and jotted down the directions on a piece of paper. "Now that's more like it." He beamed as he shoved the note into his pocket and turned to me. "Hey now sugar, no hard feelings but no more holdin out on me ya hear." He spoke sternly and slowly as if he was talking to a small child. I nodded and shied away from his hand as he patted my shoulder.

"Wanna meet up around sundown?"

"Sure thing." Merle chuckled. "We'll head out later this afternoon, meet ya at the house." Merle looked behind Daryl and his smile quickly faded. "You taken my bike?"

"I don't have to."

"Then why is it out?"

"Because I slept in the truck, I didn't want it fallin on me." Merle nodded and in one quick motion slammed his fist into the side of Daryl's face. I gasped and stepped back, as much as I wanted to help there was no way I wanted to be on the receiving end of Merle Dixons right hook.

"What did I tell you about touchin my stuff?" He growled as he grabbed the front of Daryl's shirt and pulled him close.

"Won't happen again." Daryl offered quickly. I caught a glimpse of fear in his eyes and a glimpse of the past that made him so hard as Merle fumed over him. He let go of his brother, shoving him away and taking a step back.

"Take the bike, I can't fit four people in a truck anyhow." Daryl nodded as he stood up and rubbed at his jaw. "Don't trash it."

"I won't." Merle nodded at me as he turned and stormed away from us. I stood there, silent and still as I waited for Daryl to compose himself.

"You ok?" I asked quietly. He looked over at me, startled as if he'd forgotten I was even there. He nodded and cracked his neck before reaching into the back of the truck and tossing me a helmet. "Won't you need one?" I asked as he slung his crossbow over the back of the bike silently and climbed on.

"Just put it on." He muttered so quietly I barely heard it. I nodded and slid the helmet on before climbing onto the bike behind him. I'd never been on one and it was a little scary as he steadied it underneath us and kicked it to life. He reached back and grabbed my hands, wrapping them around his waist. "Hold on tight." He didn't have to ask me twice.

I closed my eyes as we took off, holding tight against him and laughing behind the shield of the black helmet as he turned the corner and headed down a deserted back road. It didn't take us long to make it into the woods, we were practically surrounded by them but Daryl pressed on and I watched as the thick canopy above us flew by as if the world was moving on its own. I watched as a deer stuck her head up from the brush and took off into the woods, her little white tail twitching as she left us far behind. Daryl turned off of the dirt trail and back onto the highway, a wave of confusion went through me as he pressed on south and it wasn't until I saw the bright green sign announcing the turn off that I realized where we were going… we weren't going on a hunting trip at all.

I gripped him tight as he turned onto another dirt road and coasted into the narrow winding gravel road of my old family home. I could feel the soft stream of tears flowing down my face as he reached down and cupped my hand with his. He lingered for a minute before stopping the bike at her steps and killed the engine. I climbed off, nearly jumped as I pulled off the helmet and tossed it at him.

"WHAT THE HELL?" I shouted as he came around and eyed me as if he knew this was coming. "Why did you bring me here?"

"We were comin here anyway." He shrugged.

"WHY NOW?" I cried as I stepped toward him, shoving him back. He smiled against my efforts and waited as I paced the ground in front of him.

"I know yer hurtin,"

"You don't know the half of it." I growled as I stopped and glared at him. "You have no fucking idea."

"No yer right I don't." He nodded. "Hell Ari it's just a house." He looked up as he motioned to the two story country house that towered before us. I looked over her; her perfect white paint job, oak doors and blue trim complimented the bright green grass and over grown gardens that lined the front of her. Perfect as I said was just what he wanted her to be. Everything in its place, playing its part and obeying it's rules.

"It's not the house that bothers me." I sniffed loudly as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"I figured as much." He smirked. "I just thought it might be easier to face it alone."

"You're not coming?" I looked up, shocked at just how much that thought bothered me.

"No I will, if you want me to." I nodded quickly and stepped toward him, burying my face in his chest as I sucked in a sharp breath. "You know," He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "Even fer a girl you cry a lot." I pulled away as he patted my back and wiped my cheeks. I wanted this done, over with and most of all I didn't want to have to do this.

I pulled open the screen door and turned the knob. It was unlocked, no surprise there. I was the last one out and I had barely bothered to shut the door as I ran out into the night alone and frightened. I stepped inside and I was nearly knocked off my feet as the smell of dust and stale air came wafting toward me. Everything was untouched and despite the fact that I had expected it, something about that tiny detail still shook me. It was as if the world had just simply stopped that day.

I jumped as Daryl closed the door behind us and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You alright?" I shook my head and began to make my way through the house. I had never remembered this place being a home, more like a place to rest your head when you had no other choice. Somewhere in the distance of my memory I could hear the sound of my father's regular shooting practice outside. My brother would argue, he wanted nothing to do with guns and me being the girl meant that I was naturally excluded in his eyes. I trailed my fingers over the white lace table cloth as I stepped from the dining room into the kitchen. The cabinets were torn open and bare, a glass bowl sat cracked on the kitchen counted surrounded by dead leaves and decay. The food left inside had rotted away long ago but still something about the crystal, the way it shined gave the room just a small glimmer of the beauty it once held.

I shook my head as my parents voices crept in. My dad shouting about dinner and my mother apologizing through her tears. I screamed from the edge of the kitchen, before I knew better than to get involved but I screamed with all my might. That was the first time he turned his rage on me.

I turned from the tiny room and moved past Daryl and into the living room. I could still see the pool of blood from where my father's fallen body had been and when I closed my eyes I could see my mother's saddened face as she knelt over him, his pistol dangling from her shaking fingers.

"You ok?" That seemed to be his question of choice.

"I'm fine Daryl." I whispered.

"No you aint." He moved around and stood in front of me. "Talk." I looked up at him, my eyes flickering to the ground behind him every now and again.

"About what?"

"About what made it so hard for you to come back here. So far all I see is you wonderin around looking like someone slapped you in the face." He turned and walked into the living room, stepping over the dried pool and stared up at the pictures on the mantle. "I don't know much about good families or nothing but I ain't even seen a picture of you around here yet, just a lot of this guy." He held up my father's military photo and shook it at me before tossing it back onto the mantle.

"My dad never wanted kids, never wanted to get married."

"Yeah? So why did he?"

"No choice." I shrugged. "My mom got pregnant with my brother and his dad forced him to marry her." He looked at me, waiting for me to speak. I sighed and turned my eyes to the ground. "My dad joined the military to get away from them but he never got deployed, they said he wasn't right in the head so he was stuck here and he resented us for that."

I sat on the couch and Daryl joined me. "He tried to turn my brother into a soldier but Matt didn't want any part of it so dad tried to beat it into him." My voice shook and it wasn't until then that I realized I was crying. "Matt took a lot of it so that I wouldn't have to but sometimes there was nothing he could do." I placed my arm palm side up on Daryl's leg and pointed out a pattern of tiny burns that littered my forearm.

"Cigarette burns?" Daryl muttered as he lifted my arm to get a better look.

"How'd you know?" He scooted forward and pulled up the leg of his cargo pants revealing the same type of burns on his calf.

"Got em a whole bunch of places. Merle and his buddy's made a drinkin game out of it."

"I'm sorry." I whispered as he lowered the leg of his pants.

"Don't be. Go on."

"No offence Daryl but I don't really wanna go into detail here."

"Then don't just say what you gotta say."

"Say what Daryl? That I spent my childhood nursing my brothers wounds, that I've spent more time in a hospital explaining broken bones and black eyes than any kid should? That my mother shot him as soon as she got the chance because of the years of bullshit that he put her through, the bullshit that I had to watch, that I couldn't save her from?" I shook my head and wiped my cheeks. "They're ain't much to say other than that." I sucked in a sharp breath as I lowered my eyes and watched the floor between my feet. "I'm damaged." I muttered as the tears finally stopped and an eerie wave of calmness washed over me.

Daryl stood up and I watched him as he offered me his hand. Reluctantly I took it and allowed him to pull me to my feet. No sooner than that did he unbutton his shirt and toss it onto the couch, his wife beater was the next to follow and still I had no idea the point he was trying to convey.

"I was born on a dirty kitchen floor in a shack in the woods. My parents didn't want me hell if they coulda just tossed me they would have." I looked him over as he spoke, his chest lined with scars. Thin silver ones that lined his sides and his stomach, thick pink ones that spanned his chest and shoulders. Without thinking I reached up and ran my fingers over the thickest of them that sat just under his right shoulder.

"What happened to you?" I whispered as he grabbed my hand gently and moved it away.

"My daddy was a drunk and my mom wasn't much better. Hell they couldn't've cared less about me. Merle was the only one that took care of me unless he was too fucked up to do it or in jail."

"So what happened this morning, he's like that all the time."

"Yeah." He nodded as he rubbed at his jaw as if I'd stirred up the pain once more. "He was in a good mood if ya can believe that." He shrugged as I took my eyes from his scar and looked up at him. I don't know what possessed me to do it but I reached up, wrapping my fingers around the back of his neck and watching for any sign of hesitation as I lifted myself on the tip of my toes and pressed my lips softly to his. His hand slid into the small of my back, holding me still as he returned my kiss with a kind of sweetness I hadn't expected. I caught myself smiling as he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine.

"You ain't damaged." He whispered as he kissed my cheek, his hands holding me steady around the waist. I closed my eyes as his lips explored the contours of my jaw, my neck and the sensitive spot just behind my ear, sending a shiver through me and causing my breath to catch in my throat. I felt him smile against my skin as I shuddered slightly under his grip.

"Daryl." I whispered as his lips trailed back to mine. "I really like you." I smiled nervously as he pulled away and looked down at me.

"I know." He smirked as he kissed my forehead one last time before he released me and bent down, grabbing his shirt from the couch. I watched him shyly as he redressed himself; sneaking glances at me as he buttoned his sleeveless flannel shirt back up.

"You know?' I smiled. "That's all you have to say?"

"Sure." He shrugged.

"There's nothing you wanna say?" I chuckled. Daryl broke into a soft laugh as he looked down at his feet.

"What do ya want me ta saranade you er something?"

"No, that's quite alright." I chuckled.

"Good cause I can't sing." I laughed lightly as he took a step back and leaned against the wall behind him. "Don't look at me like that it's weird." He smirked as I watched him.

"Like what?"

"Like yer waitin for me ta say something cause I ain't gonna."

"Nothin at all?"

"Ari, come on." He shook his head as his lips twisted into a smile. "I ain't the touchy feely type ok."

"Ok." I smiled as I threw my hands up in defeat. "Change of subject?" I offered. He nodded gently and pushed himself away from the wall.

"That be great thanks."

"Wanna see my dad's gun collection?" His eyes lit up and I could see from the look in his face that there was no way I could have offered a more perfect alternative. As I walked past him he grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers in mine and followed me toward the basement door at the end of the hall. It wasn't until that moment that I realized I didn't need him to say anything at all.

I led him down the stairs and flipped on the light, chuckling slightly as the room came to life with the gentle hum of the florescent lights above us and watched as Daryl moved from locker to locker with a kind of enthusiasm reserved for a kid on Christmas day.


	13. Chapter 13

"Why didn't you say nothing about this?" Daryl asked excitedly as he looked over the weapon lockers that lined the back wall of our basement. My dad's collection wasn't expansive, at least not compared to some but times being what they were it was still a sight to be admired.

"I don't know." I shrugged as I pulled myself up and sat on the oak desk in the middle of the room. "I guess I never thought I'd be coming back here so what was the point?"

"If you had all this here then how come you didn't have a weapon when I found you?" He asked as he fiddled with a padlock.

"I never really liked guns." I jumped off the desk and pushed his chair to the side. I pulled open one of the side drawers and shuffled through it, pulling out a set of small keys and flipping through them. "Besides," I added as I walked toward Daryl and moved him gently to the side. "I don't know how to use em." I opened the lock and shoved it into my pocket, pulling the door open and stepping back.

He grabbed a sleek black rifle and ran his hand up the stock as he admired it. Cocking the gun and holding it to his sights before placing it gently back in the locker to grab the next.

"Did yer dad keep ammo?"

"Yeah." I smirked. "I guess his paranoia was good for something." I shrugged as I opened the doors to a large cedar chest and motioned toward the small boxes stacked on top of one another. They were labeled; counted and filed in such a way that there was no mistaking what bullets were meant for what gun and that was the way daddy expected it to remain. I sucked in a sharp breath as my thoughts flashed back to my seven year old self and the day I learned that lesson.

"What's wrong?" He asked absently as I stared down at my feet and rubbed at my arms. I shook my head and looked away as he placed the shotgun he held back into the locker and walked over to me. "What is it?" He asked again as he lifted my face to his.

"I just don't like it down here," I lied. "Bad memories." Daryl nodded.

"Look as much fun as this is," I rolled my eyes as he looked down at me. "I think I'm gonna go upstairs. Daryl nodded and moved to the side allowing me just enough room to squeeze between him and the wall behind me. I wasted no time walking to the stairs and took one last look behind me as he turned a box of bullets over in his hand.

I left the door open and made my way down the hall. I kept my eyes down as I passed the living room not wanting to be reminded of my last moments in this house and climbed the stairs. I took a quick look at the pictures that hung on the wall; more military shots of my father, a picture of his parents smiling happily as they held a new baby up for the camera and my parents wedding photo. My mother looked beautiful in her dress, the way it flowed around her like a princess's ball gown. Her hair was pinned up and instead of a veil she wore a tiara that sparkled even in the photo. I remembered playing dress up with that crown when I was a little girl and I caught myself smiling as I thought back to my mother curling my hair and putting lipstick on me for the first time. My father stood next to her, his face as still as stone. He couldn't even be bothered to smile on his own wedding day. He stood so far from her that there was a visible gap between them and I shook my head before turning to finish my climb to the second floor.

I passed my parent's room without a second thought but something in me forced me to turn the knob to my brother's bedroom door. I stepped inside and the smell of dirty socks and old garbage hit me in the face as I took a look around. Clothes and old magazines littered the floor leading up to his unmade bed. I sat down on the corner and fumbled with the things on his nightstand as I wondered where he was. Had he made it out of town? Was he ok?

I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me; I guess it would have to be enough just to hope. I walked to the end of the hall and threw open my bedroom door. It was amazing to see everything just as it had been, as if nothing had ever happened and for a moment I felt like everything was ok. I walked over to my desk and turned on my little silver CD player. I watched it as it spun to life, happy to see something that didn't involve gun's or the living dead and as the sweet sound of music came pouring from its speakers I caught myself in a chuckle. It was nice to feel normal again.

I threw myself down on my bed and pulled a pillow into my chest, hugging it tightly against me as I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in the music.

"I hope I'm not buggin you." I opened my eyes as the track changed.

"I wasn't sleeping." I muttered as I sat up and tossed my pillow to the side.

"Yeah you were." He chuckled as he leaned against the door frame.

"No I wasn't."

"Don't argue with me you were snoring."

"I don't snore." I pouted as he broke into a laugh.

"I've slept next to you for a week now; you snore like a son of a bitch."

"Oh fuck you." I chuckled. He crossed his arms at his chest and smiled down at me.

"So you comin down or what?" My ears perked up as a loud crash rang from below us followed by the sound of Merles sick sarcastic laugh. I groaned and dropped my head into my hands.

"I don't think I'm up for a healthy dose of Merle Dixon after the day I've had." Daryl nodded as I rubbed my eyes and turned my face toward him. "Did you tell him about my dad's arsenal?" I asked quietly as he moved to sit on the bed next to me.

"Didn't have a choice, he found me downstairs."

"I guess he's happy then?"

"You earned some points with that one."

"Yeah?" I smirked. Daryl shrugged and took a quick look around the room. His face twisted into a grimace as he took in the purple and pink decorating scheme my mother had so lovingly thrust upon me.

"I bet ya ten bucks I can guess yer favorite color." He smirked.

"I didn't decorate the damn thing."

"COME ON AN GET YER UGLY ASS DOWN HERE BOY!" Merle's voice boomed up the stairs and filled the air around us.

"You sure you ain't comin?" I sighed and looked up at him. His eyes pleaded, begged me to come with him and somehow I found myself unable to say no.

"Fine, I'll go but I'm not hanging around with Merle."

"Fair enough." He chuckled as he stood from the bed and offered me his hand. I took it gratefully and followed him down the stairs. It apparently didn't take them long to find my dad's liquor cabinet but from what I could tell, Merle was happier when he was drunk so I was just as happy not to say a word about it as they passed a bottle of brandy around between them.

Cynthia, Merle, Corey and a few others I didn't recognize littered the living room. I winced as a dark haired girl grabbed the bottle from Merle's hands and stumbled into the oak end table, knocking my mother's flower vase to the floor.

"Oop's" She snorted as she took a long pull from the bottle before tossing it at Cynthia.

"Hey there girl I was wonderin where you ran off to." Merle smiled over at me as the brunette fell into his lap with a chuckle.

"Wow you're actually happy to see me?" I smirked as I took a seat in an overstuffed leather chair opposite him. Daryl walked passed me and swiped the bottle from his fingers, lifting it to his lips and sucking back as much as he could before handing it back.

"Not really." He chuckled. "But that little collection of yours downstairs got me goin, now why didn't you tell no one about that?" The whole room went quiet as all eyes were on me. I shrugged and stared down at the ground beneath my feet.

"Guess it slipped my mind."

"Oh," He snorted as he nudged the girl off of his lap and leaned forward. "We're in the middle of hell and it just slipped your fucking mind?"

"Ok so thinking clearly isn't exactly my forte, you should know that by now you only comment on it every damn day." I glared over at him as a sort of awkward intensity filled the room around us. His eyes locked on mine and I'll be damned it I was gonna be the first one to look away. Luckily enough his lips twisted into a smile and he nodded, a sign of approval as he leaned back and threw his arm around Cynthia, ignoring Cory's glare from across the room.

"I guess I can let that one slide. Have a drink with us." He swiped the bottle and thrust it toward me.

"Thanks but no." I shook my head with a smile. At least one night this week I wanted to go to sleep without the scent of booze on my breath. I sat and watched for a while as Merle made his attempts on Cynthia while an aggravated Corey looked on. The brunette I had come to know as Anna broke a few more things before being forced to sit still on the floor at Merle's feet and another blue haired boy named Michael sat silently in the corner nursing a bottle of scotch.

After what felt like an eternity I stood and made my way into the kitchen, ignoring Merles question as to why. I flipped on the light and opened the fridge scowling as I realized there was less than nothing to eat. I searched the cabinets and the pantry, I even check inside the stove hoping to find something, anything to satiate my growling stomach but found nothing more than a box of stale crackers hidden behind an empty jar of peanut butter in the cupboard near the stove.

I sighed as I wriggled one free and nibbled on the edge of it. We were cleaned out, not that it wasn't to be expected in times like these. I listened to the sounds of the party going on in the other room as I finished my cracker and sucked up enough courage to down another one. As the sound of glass shattering once again rang through my ears I looked up and smiled. Running water, shelter, the odd bit of food now and again, these were the thoughts that filled my mind as I attempted to find a bastion of light in the hell that surrounded us. Even something as simple as the lights that flickered above my head brought a sense of peace and a reason to smile.

But perhaps my thoughts came too soon.

With a short flicker and a half a second's time the soft music that floated down from my bedroom went silent and the light that shone above my head blinked out leaving me standing against the counter in complete darkness armed only with the cracker I had yet to find the courage to finish.

I stood still as Cynthia began to panic and the sound of heavy footsteps came closer to where I stood.

"The hell is goin on?" I shrugged even though he couldn't see me, popping the last of my cracker into my mouth.

"Powers out."

"I see that smartass." Merle growled. I snaked another cracker from the box and waited as my eyes adjusted to the dark and a few more figures came into view.

"What happened to the lights?" Cynthia whined as she came in from the other room. I did my best to stifle a laugh as she knocked some part of her off of the little island that separated the kitchen from the dining room and fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Keep it down." Merle hissed as she moaned from beneath him.

"That really hurt."

"It's ok baby." I rolled my eyes as Corey came to her rescue. How long was it going to take him to figure out he had been replaced.

"Where's yer flashlight?" Daryl asked from the doorway.

"In the truck but it ain't got no batteries."

"Fucking figures." Daryl groaned as he leaned against the wooden frame.

"What was that?"

"Nothin." Merle turned his attention back to me.

"This is a farm right?" He asked quickly. I nodded before I realized he probably couldn't see me.

"Sure."

"You gotta generator around here?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"I might have forgotten to mention the mini arsenal downstairs but I ain't lying, we don't have one."

"What about flashlights?"

"Maybe in the barn." I answered quickly. "I could go get em."

"I'll go with you." Daryl offered as he pushed himself away from the frame.

"No." I barked. I hadn't meant for that to sound as harsh as it did. "It's ok, just lend me your crossbow I'll go get em." I waited as he stomped toward me and stopped just in front of me. He was so close I could feel his breath cascading over me and I didn't need to see his face to know there was an argument coming.

"I ain't letting you go out there alone."

"Daryl I'm fine." I smirked.

"Just let the girl go, sure she can handle herself. Besides what's the harm if she don't come back." He laughed loudly as he reached over and smacked his brother's arm playfully. "Already got the guns don't we."

"I'm goin with you."

"Daryl, really its right outside, just give me a weapon I'll be fine." He sighed loudly and stormed away from me and into the living room returning a few moments later to thrust the cold metal crossbow into my chest.

"Fine. But you better come back."

"What are you worried about little old me?" I mocked as I slung the weapon over my shoulder.

"No, but I want my crossbow back." I couldn't tell if he was smiling in the shadows but I felt myself smiling back before I moved passed Merle and pulled open the back door and stepped out into the crisp night air.

The barn was only a few yards away from the house. Once used to hold horses and the like my dad had converted it into more of an oversized storage shed once the need for livestock had run its course. I followed the familiar path through the open green pasture, my hand clamped at the crossbows strap as I made my way toward the barn, guided by the light of the full moon above me.

The faint sound of crickets singing in the bushes warmed my heart and added a spring to my step as the large wood structure came into view. I couldn't be bothered to feel fear, not even in the slightest as I put the house behind me. I knew it was dangerous and if anything did happen it wasn't likely that Daryl would hear my screams and come running, no I was on my own this time. I sucked in a sharp breath and nodded at the realization. I was completely on my own for the first time since I had learned to fire a weapon.

I stepped up to the door and sighed heavily as I reached out and clasped my hand around the cold metal handle. It came open with a loud creak, like a man whose bones had gone brittle after years of hard work and as I stared into the dark mouth of the aged and time worn building that feeling of fear I had done so well to avoid washed over me, leaving me no room to push it aside.

I waited for a moment, listening for any sign of movement. A slight rustle here, a faint whistle there… I brushed it off as no more than the wind and a wild chipmunk and stepped inside.

I had no light, no help and no clue where to look for a couple of flashlights or anything useful for that matter and after a few moments of searching it finally dawned on me. I walked swiftly toward the back, toward the old tool bench my brother had built for himself with my father's blessing and silently thanked God for the crack in the roof allowing just enough light to make sense of the fallen objects that littered the table in front of me.

"No. No. No…." I huffed as I searched through piles of nails and pliers for anything that could make some kind of light. A flashlight, a lighter hell I would have settled for a pack of matches as I tossed each object to the side. "No…. No… OW!" I cried as I managed to scrape the side of my hand across a rusty saw blade. "Who the hell would just leave that there?" I hissed as I pulled my hand back to survey the damage, not that it did any good considering the current circumstances.

I went back to searching and after a few moments my fingers wrapped themselves around something small, something metal and something cold. I lifted it, searching desperately for a button and like a prayer answered the table in front of me was suddenly brightly lit. It wasn't much but it would do. I shone the light on my hand, wincing as I noticed the deep gash that ran from between my thumb all the way down the back of my hand to my wrist. Thankfully the bleeding was beginning to show signs of stopping but that didn't change the fact that that my entire forearm was covered in blood and it was going to be more than a fun time trying to explain this when I got back.

I shrugged it off and began searching once again, tossing unusable objects to the side in search of another source of light. I moved my search to the long row of metal shelves that lined the wall next to me. I grabbed my brother's old quiver and slung it over my shoulder, maybe Daryl could find some use for the arrows and continued on filling my pockets with discarded lighters, a half empty can of lighter fluid and my dad's old pocket watch. Hey, it still worked and time was something there was always a use for.

I pushed aside an empty gas can and stopped dead in my search as my eyes fell on something I hadn't seen since I was a child. I reached back with a sense of wonder, excitement even and pulled a ratty old bear from the shelf and stared down at him. My chest began to warm and I could feel the sting of tears behind my eyes as I brushed the cobwebs from his ears and ran my fingers over his old and moth eaten fur.

He was with me every day for ten years and then one day I just couldn't find him anymore. I grieved for my bear the way someone would grieve for a dying friend but over time I guess I forgot about him. I pulled the quiver from my shoulder and shoved him inside, giving him one last smile before slinging it back over my shoulder and grabbing the flashlight from the dirt floor beneath me.

A few shelves down I found another, stronger light and thankfully it worked. Well that was after smacking it a few times but you gotta do what it takes to get the job done. I clicked off the smaller light and shoved it into my pocket and no sooner than that did I hear the rustle of footsteps at the barn door.

**A/N - This chapter is a long time coming.. i know i say this a lot but I am so so so so so sorry it has taken me so long to update this fic. I love it I do and i don't plan on stopping but work has be running ragged so its kind of difficult to find the kind of time i need to do this on the weekly. BUT it is nearing the end of our busy season so I should have a little more free time on my hands and I want to make it up to you lovelies. No more waiting a month between chapters. i wont do that to you again I promise. :) **

**XOXO**

**Penelope**


	14. Chapter 14

I flipped the oversized flashlight off and ducked down behind the shelves, listening as it moved past the threshold and into the cavernous barn. I pleaded with my eyes to adjust as the sound of dirt crunched underneath its feet; the only sense I could rely on until my eyes decided to comply. It sniffed at the air and growled as it bumped into one of the old stalls that lined the western wall.

The door creaked open and after a moment the creature gave up its investigation and moved on, staring at nothing as its feet drug against the floor. I shifted my weight and slowly pulled the quiver from my shoulder, placing it gently against the shelf and hoping like hell the monster before me would pay no mind to the rattle it made as it settled against the ground.

It stopped in its tracks and I waited silently, holding my breath as it looked in my direction. For a long moment we stood paused waiting for the other to move, hunter versus prey and to my relief it began its investigation once again. I let out a quiet breath and slipped the crossbow from my chest, pressing my hand over the bolts as I pulled it around and placed the stock gently on the bare spot on the shelf in front of me.

I held my aim steady and said a silent thank you for Daryl's protective nature as I waited. He had loaded the first shot for me and circumstances being what they were I was grateful. The creature shambled toward me and I held my finger steady on the trigger as I sucked in a breath and held as still as I possibly could.

I could hear my heart beating like thunder in my chest, so loud I wondered if I was the only one that heard it and in a flash, like a perfect moment crafted by the hand of God himself the beast walked right into my sights and felt the sting of my arrow only seconds before falling to the floor with a loud thud and a last groan.

It took everything I had not to jump up and shout with excitement. If there was one thing I had learned about walkers it was that they weren't that much different from rats; where there is one to be seen ten more lurk in the shadows and I wasn't about to wait around for them to make themselves known.

I scooted back to where I was and grabbed my quiver, adjusting it over the crossbow at my back and grabbed the flashlight from the ground, flicking it on before I moved out from behind my shelter and toward the monsters side.

I reached down and flipped him over and like a routine I had only just set began to check its pockets for anything that remained from its life before death. Somehow, someway this man died carrying nothing and I shrugged as I moved back to my feet and tiptoed out of the barn.

I broke into a run, desperate to get back to the house as quick as I could but something in me stopped me dead in my tracks. It would have been easy to take the last few steps toward the door, it would have been easy to go inside and revel in my glory, dress my wounds and get a good night's sleep. It would have been easy to ignore the screaming voice in my mind that begged me to turn around but against my better judgment I decided to look.

At first I saw shadows stretched out across the dark ground. The swayed and moved with the whistling wind and it wasn't until my eyes fully adjusted that I began to recognize those shadows as not the silhouette of trees or bushes but men and women strewn about the ground.

My ears caught up with my site and there faint groans and snarls began to echo into the night. I wasn't fool enough to stay put.

I turned on my heels and ran toward the house stifling the urge to scream and call for help. I threw open the door and slammed it shut behind me, taking no time to pause before I flicked on the flashlight and began searching the house for any warm body that would be interested in pulling a trigger.

"Whoa sugar what's the rush?" Merle laughed drunkenly as I walked past the couch and tossed the crossbow and quiver to Daryl.

"Walkers."

"What?" Merle shot up, knocking a sleeping Cynthia from his lap as he stood. "Where?"

"Outside." I responded breathlessly as I made my way toward the basement door. He grabbed my arm and pulled me around to face him.

"How many?"

"I don't know." I huffed as I pulled my arm away from him. I heard the familiar click of the crossbow as Daryl loaded his shot and came to Merle's side. "I took one down in the barn and saw a lot more on my way back." I turned my eyes to Daryl. "The weapons still downstairs?"

"Sure, haven't moved em."

"Good, get armed." My eyes flicked to Cynthia and her group as I spoke. I left them behind me and made my way into the basement. Guided only by the narrow beam I held I moved toward the lockers and began searching for something I could use. So far I had learned my way around a crossbow and a knife, I had no idea how I would handle a gun but I had to start somewhere. I pointed the flashlight behind me as the sound of footsteps echoed off of the basement walls.

"I don't know how to use a gun." Cynthia sneered. I shook my head as I pulled a pistol from the wall and held it in my hand. It felt nice, small and simple enough to figure out. I pulled its partner from the wall and tossed it toward the girl, smirking as it fumbled from her fingertips and landed on the cement floor.

"Good time to learn."

"I'm not using that." She sneered as she stared at the sleek black pistol at her feet. Merle cocked his rifle and stepped past me, waiting at the edge of the stairs as I shined the light into Cynthia's eyes.

"Pick it up." I growled.

"No." She cried. I rolled my eyes as she began to sob, taking a few steps away from me. "I don't want to do this anymore."

"Pick up the god damn gun Cynthia."

"WHY?" She shrieked. "What's the point?"

"Cynthia come on." Corey begged as Daryl helped him to load the shotgun he had picked for himself.

"NO!" She shouted as she took another step back. "I can't do this anymore!"

"So what?" I barked. "You're just gonna stay down here and whine while the rest of us risk our asses to protect yours?" I shone the light on Corey as he walked to her side and placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Come on baby you can do this." He spoke softly as she turned and sobbed into his chest.

"I can't, you go I'll wait here."

"Oh this is HORSESHIT!" I grabbed the gun from the floor and stormed over to the small locker next to Daryl and shoved him aside. I pulled a clip from the top shelf and wrestled it into place, cocking it before doing the same to my own and grabbing a spare just in case. I shoved it into my pocket and moved toward Cynthia, shoving the gun into her chest. "The way I see it you got two choices." I growled as she wrapped her perfectly painted nails around the handle of the gun. "You either come out there with us and fucking fight or I come back down here when it's done and put a bullet in you myself."

I didn't give her the time to answer before I stormed past Merle and began making my way up the stairs.

"The hell was that?" Merle chuckled as he followed close behind me.

"Nothing."

"That wasn't nothing." He chuckled. "You got some fire in you after all." I stopped at the backdoor, pulled the little blue curtain aside and peered out of the doors tiny window. There weren't as many as I thought, at least not that I could see. Ten, maybe eleven shambled toward the house; an easy enough problem to deal with all things considered.

"I hate her."

"What?"

"Cynthia," I explained. "I can't stand her. Never could and I'll be damned if I'm gonna go out there and risk my life so she can sit in a corner and pretend that none of this is real." I watched as he nodded, a soft smile shaping his lips as he thought about what I had said. I guess I had come a long way in the week we had known each other, a long way from the girl who cowered in a closet waiting for someone to find her.

Daryl stopped just behind his brother, his crossbow in hand and not long after the tiny group emerged from the basement. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised to see Cynthia standing among them but I suppose I didn't give her much of a choice.

"Ready?" I nodded and sucked in a sharp uneven breath as I pulled open the door quietly and stepped outside. I moved to the side allowing the group to file out and waited as Daryl and his brother moved to the front and took their first shots.

I looked around and quickly realized there were more waiting in the shadows for us than I had originally seen and shook myself from my daze. I moved away from the crowd, picked my target and lifted the sleek black gun to my sights. My hands shook and my heart pounded as it snarled and snapped at the air between us and without a second thought I pulled the trigger. My arms flew back and my hand stung where the heat of the barrel had touched it, I guess I wasn't quite ready for recoil but thankfully I managed to make my shot.

"Don't tense up when you fire."

"What?" I looked down as Daryl dropped to his knees and pulled back his bow for another shot.

"Don't tense up, you'll hurt yourself just go with the recoil." I nodded as he stood and took off toward the heat of the fight. I stood my ground and picked off a few more. I wasn't winning any wars on my own but it seemed like my efforts were enough to make life just a little easier for everyone else.

I lost myself in a blur of soft screams and gunshots as I made my way around the field taking out whatever happened to move without a pulse. It wasn't until I was nearly at the barn that I heard the shrill scream echo from behind me. I turned to see a figure, a girl swept up in the arms of the crowd and without thinking I took off running toward them.

Merle made it to them first, knocking an older woman off of the girl with the butt of his gun. He fired a shot into her and cocked his rifle as I took a shot at the man that hovered over Anna's screaming figure. I knelt down and pulled his fallen body off of her as Merle stood watch, taking out the last few that had wondered on to my property.

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with fear as she clutched at her throat. I pulled her hand away and gasped as a river of blood flowed from the wound that the creature had created.

"ANNA!" Corey screamed as he ran toward us, tossing his shotgun to the side and dropping to his knees. "DO SOMETHING!" He cried up at us as he pressed his hand to her neck in a feeble attempt to save a life that was already gone. She coughed and gurgled a last few words as the group gathered around her. "Do something." He begged again through his tears. I shook my head and moved back as Daryl stepped in to take my place.

"Can't do nothin." Merle sighed. "She's already gone."

"No." Corey begged as he knelt over her. He brushed the hair from her face as she reached up to him, gripping the collar of his shirt before her eyes began to flutter. "No." We watched as she took her last breaths, watched as Corey held on to her and sobbed over her fallen body and we watched as Cynthia knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently to comfort him.

He knocked her hand away and shook his head. "Don't."

"Corey." She sighed.

"I said don't." he growled. He looked up to me and put his hand out. "Give me your gun."

"What? Why?"

"If she wakes up I wanna be the one to do it." I watched him for a moment as he silently pleaded with me before handing over the only weapon that I had.

"We need to keep watch tonight, in case more of em come along." Merle muttered softly.

"I'll take first watch." Corey offered as he made himself comfortable at our feet.

"You sure?" He nodded softly.

"I'll be out here anyway." We exchanged our silent glances before turning and making our way toward the house. I followed the boys in, Cynthia close at my heels before closing the back door and flicking on the flashlight once again.

"He took that kinda hard." Merle spoke quietly, motioning toward the field where Corey remained.

"She's his cousin." Cynthia explained. "They were always real close." A wave of silent understanding went through the room as we realized what that meant for Corey, what he had to do. As I stared out of the kitchen window I lost myself in my thoughts and silent prayers, I hadn't even noticed when Merle reached over and snatched the flashlight from my fingertips before he began his silent and futile search through the cupboards.

"There's nothing." He shined the flashlight into my eyes as he groaned. I grabbed the discarded box of crackers from the counter and handed it to him. "This is about all we got here." He reached past the box and grabbed my hand, shining the light down on it as he turned it around and examined the gash that I had nearly forgotten about.

"The hell is this?' He barked. Daryl stepped forward and flashed me a worried look. "Where you scratched?"

"What?" He shook my hand violently as he brought his face only inches from mine.

"WERE YOU SCRATCHED?" He roared.

"NO!" He held on tight as I squirmed in his grip, a desperate attempt to free myself from him. "I swear I wasn't!"

"You better not be lyin to me princess."

"I wasn't scratched!" I barked as I finally managed to rip my hand away from his. "I cut myself on a saw blade in the barn tryin to get your fucking flashlight." Daryl reached down and lifted my hand to his face. I winced as he pressed around it and found myself surprised to see that the bleeding still hadn't stopped.

"Needs stitches." He muttered as I pulled it away from him. "You got a sewing kit or something?" I sighed as I thought about the idea.

"Upstairs in the closet."

"If you two are gonna play doctor I'm goin to bed." Merle smirked as he shoved the flashlight into Daryl's chest. "You comin?" He nodded toward Cynthia who hadn't stopped staring out the door's tiny window since we came in.

She turned around slowly and nodded before silently following him up the stairs.

"Grab yer needle and a first aid kit, I'll meet you upstairs." Daryl spoke softly. I watched as he and the other boy disappeared into the living room and made quick work of finding the things he asked for. Finding the little sewing box my mother kept in the upstairs closet was a challenge but thanks to the lighters I grabbed from the barn it wasn't as difficult as it would have been if I had simply shuffled around in the dark.

I took them into the room and sat both boxes at the foot of my bed before taking a seat next to them in the darkened room. It wasn't long after that Daryl shuffled in, lighting up the room with the flashlight he carried and shut the door behind him.

He dropped his things near the door and sat down next to me, placing the flashlight on the bed next to us. He handed me a bottle of scotch before reaching behind me to grab the boxes I had brought in.

"Thanks but no."

"You sure?" He eyed me as he began shuffling around the little sewing box in search of a needle. "This ain't gonna tickle." He smirked as he pulled a thick silver needle from the bottom of the box and began to thread it. I sighed and suddenly found my stomach twisting in knots. Reluctantly I took a long and deep drink from the bottle. He grabbed the rag from his pocket and placed it on his knee before grabbing my hand and doing the same.

I winced as he poured a healthy amount of peroxide over the cut and dabbed it dry before adjusting the flashlight and taking a quick look up at me.

"Take another drink." I groaned before doing as he said and waited, turning my eyes from him as he adjusted the thread and bent down to get a better look.

Without warning and without knowing what to expect he went to work and I cried out a healthy string of obscenities before he was even through with the first stitch. He laughed lightly as I took another drink and went about telling him where he could shove the needle when he was done.

"Feel better?" He chuckled as he paused, allowing me to catch my breath.

"No."

"Don't worry I got plenty more to go." I braced myself as he went back to work and tried my best not to insult him. After all he was doing me a favor no matter how much it hurt.

"How did you learn to do this?" I asked breathlessly, attempting to take my mind off of what he was doing.

"You saw my scars." He shrugged. "Had to stitch myself up plenty of times." Somehow his confession made it easier for me to rationalize the pain in terms of his own suffering. I took another swig from the bottle and mustered up the courage to look down. He was about halfway done and my hand was beginning to look like a science experiment gone wrong. The more he worked the more the pain began to dull; Either I was going into shock or I was simply getting used to the feeling but no matter the reason I was thankful for the relief.

He finished up quickly and poured another healthy amount of peroxide on my hand before pulling a roll of gauze from the first aid kit and bandaging around it.

"That hurt like a bitch." I winced as I lifted my hand to get a look.

"Yeah well what did ya think it was gonna feel like?" He grinned. I watched silently as he put his tools away and moved the small boxes to the floor. I stood as he moved from the bed and began shuffling around in his backpack, grumbling quietly as he lifted a shirt to his nose and dropped it back in the bag with a groan.

"That good huh?"

"Smells like roses." He grumbled as he did the same with a pair of jeans. I shook my head and grabbed the flashlight from the bed before making my way to the door. "Where you goin?"

"I'll be right back." I stepped out of the room and tiptoed down the hall and into my brothers neglected bedroom. Moving straight for his closet I hoped like hell they were around the same size as I pulled a pair of jeans and a black Motor Head T-shirt from the rack and draped them around my arm. I stopped at the little storage closet between our rooms and shuffled around for a few moments before finding the candles I was looking for and made my way back into the bedroom.

"That didn't take long." He looked up from his bag as I stepped into the tiny room. I smirked as I shut the door behind me.

"Told you it wouldn't." I held the clothes out to him and smiled as he took them from my hand with a silent nod of thanks. I turned around, offering him the chance to change a I reached into my pocket for a lighter and replaced the flashlights bright white glow with the subtle flicker of fire. "Do they fit?"

"Good as it get's I suppose." I chuckled as he zipped up and placed the glowing candle in a little holder that sat on my dresser. "Thanks for the arrows." I grabbed the candle holder and moved it to my bedside table, flicking off the flashlight as I took a seat and placed it on the floor.

"You can use em?"

"I gotta cut em down but sure I can use em." He turned his back to me and reached down for the quiver. "I gotta question though." I looked up expediently as he turned around and tossed my old teddy bear into my lap with a grin. "What's that all about."

"Oh God I forgot he was in there." I smiled as I turned him over and ran my bandaged hand over the top of his head. "I found him in the barn."

"Yeah?" He asked as he laid down on the bed next to me and kicked off his boots.

"His name is Rodney, he was the first bear I ever had."

"What was he doin in the barn if he was so important to ya?" I leaned back as Daryl rolled on to his side and propped his head up with his hand. He watched me as I smiled down at the ratty old bear, remembering the times we shared when I was little.

"I wasn't allowed to have him anymore." I spoke softly as if to no one. I had forgotten the day my father cleared out the toys in my room, the day he told me it was time to grow up and start acting my age.

"The hell does that mean?"

"Dad said I was too old for him, for any of my toys. I forgot." I looked over at him. "I completely forgot. He came into my room," I began to explain slowly. "and he told me I was growing up and it was time to stop acting like a child. He took Rodney and every other stuffed animal I had and put them in a garbage bag and I never saw them again." I ran my hand over the bear once more before placing him gently on the floor next to me. "I guess my brother must have found him and hid him for me." I blew out the candle and laid back down on the bed with a sigh.

"Not yer mom?" I shook my head.

"No, not that she wouldn't have but she never went in the barn that was my brother's place." I paused with a smile as I stared up at the ceiling. "I guess he was looking out for me in his own way."

"You said he just took off?"

"Yeah, before you found me. He said he was gonna find somewhere safe and come back for me." I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears that burned behind my eyes. "I waited for three days before I went to that gas station to find food."

"Then we found ya."

"Yeah." I sighed.

"You know," Daryl whispered after a long and awkward pause. "We don't have to leave for Atlanta right away."

"What do you mean?" I asked as I rolled on to my side to face him.

"I could talk to Merle, see if he's ok with leaving a little later in the day and me and you can take a quick look around for yer brother." A smile crossed my face as he looked up at me, waiting for an answer.

"You'd do that for me?"

"It ain't like it's a big town Ari." He smirked. "The gas station I found ya at was only a couple blocks from here it wouldn't be much to canvas the area."

"Yeah?"

"Sure, we could be outta here by noon if we leave early enough. Besides, we need gas, might as well siphon a bit before we take off." I thought for a moment about the gesture and what it would mean to find Matt. I nodded with a yawn as I nestled into my pillow and watched as Daryl did the same.

He motioned me over to him and once again I curled up, my head on his chest and his arm resting gently on my hip as I closed my eyes and waited for sleep. There was something to be said about lying in the dark listening to his heartbeat after a day like today. After being surrounded by so much death it was nice to close my eyes and feel comforted by the sounds of something living and the way he held on to me told me that he felt the same.

I couldn't be sure if I would have cared for him the same under different circumstances or if the same could be said for him. Maybe it was love, maybe just the simple need for company and companionship in times so rough but whatever the case I knew only that having him near me, his chest lifting my cheek gently with each breath was a comfort that somehow made the world as it was a bearable hell.

Just as I was drifting off the silence of the house was broken by the thunderous rumble of a gunshot outside and not long after, Corey's pained and regretful cries.


	15. Chapter 15

It took a lot more work, time and effort than I wanted to put in to convince Merle to hold off on heading to Atlanta till the afternoon. Like convincing an overbearing mother to let you go on a date he demanded to know when we were leaving, how long we'd be gone and what we expected to find. It wasn't until Daryl mentioned the prospect of scavenging a few things for the road that Merle perked up and decided to join us in our adventure.

"Why do we gotta go lookin for some jackass that's probably dead anyway?" Merle groaned as Daryl and I gathered the last of our things from the floor of my bedroom.

"You don't know that." I sighed as I shoved a handful of tank tops into my backpack. "My brother's not exactly stupid you know." Merle scoffed.

"It's worth a shot." Daryl added as Merle rolled his eyes from the doorway. He crossed his arms at his chest and moved to the side, allowing us to squeeze past him and down the hallway.

"Still say it's a waste of time." He grumbled as we filed down the stairs to meet the others.

"We ready to go?" Corey asked from the tiny kitchen table. I looked back and waited as Daryl and Merle exchanged a last few words before turning their attention toward us.

"Go on ahead, we'll be right out." Merle motioned for us to leave and without any further invitation; one by one we filed out the door and into the crisp morning air. It was cool and it felt nice as the wind whipped around me but I wasn't fool enough to think it would last for long. I knew how quick the air took to warming up and as the thought crossed my mind I felt myself grateful for the handful of tank tops that would serve to save me from the summer heat.

Cynthia and Corey piled into the truck without a word and I waited by the tailgate unsure of where I was supposed to be. We got here by bike and I couldn't be certain that we wouldn't be leaving the same way. I looked up as Merle stomped down the front steps, Daryl quick at his heels and it wasn't until he whipped past me and straddled the bike that my question was answered.

"You comin?" I smiled as he looked up at me with a grin. I strapped on my backpack and moved behind him, using his shoulders for balance as I took a seat and felt the bike rumble to life underneath me. "What's so funny?" He looked back as I broke into soft peals of laughter.

"My mom always told me she'd murder me if I dated a guy with a bike." He smirked.

"We ain't never been on a date." He answered with a smile. I looked on as Merle gunned his engine impatiently and honked the horn.

"Care to change that?" I asked as he backed up allowing Merle and the others space to leave the driveway.

"Well see," he smirked as we began to move swiftly behind them. "If you're good." I heard him chuckle as we pulled out of the driveway and onto the open road. He hadn't insisted I wear a helmet this time and in a way I was grateful for that tiny detail. It was nice to feel the wind rushing past me and stinging my cheek as we barreled down the highway. But sadly just as quickly as it had begun the ride was over and we were pulling into the little stop and shop where they had first found me.

He wasn't kidding when he said it was only a few blocks from my house.

I climbed off of the bike and waited as Merle and the others came to join us. The place looked like it hadn't been touched in years and as far as finding anything edible or useful in this dump I was sure it was a pipe dream.

I looked on as Daryl reached into the back of the truck and grabbed a gas can before returning to my side.

"So where did yer brother leave you?" I looked up from my daze and smile.

"What? Oh! Sorry." I chuckled. I pointed toward the little church with a steeple roof just down the road. "We stayed the night in there, in the attic." He looked over at me as if staring at a small child that just suggested we vacation on the moon. I chuckled lightly and shook my head. "Okay I know it's not exactly a led lined room but we made it safe."

"Yeah? How's that?" He asked in disbelief.

"The attic has one ladder leading in and out, nothing was getting in their without us being aware of it." Daryl nodded as a pair of heavy footsteps stopped just behind us.

"So ya goin on yer wild goose chase er what? We ain't got all day."

"Yeah we're goin." He sighed as he turned to me. I nodded in response and adjusted my backpack before setting off toward the church. It was a long shot that he would be there but that was the last place he saw me and the only place I could think of to start searching. "We do a three block perimeter check, if we don't find nothing we turn back." He spoke sternly as he walked beside me.

"Do we have enough time for that?" He turned to me as we climbed the steps of the little stone church and stopped at the heavy double doors.

"Walk fast." He pulled open the door and ducked down, aiming his crossbow into the dark room as he stepped inside. I did the best I could to imitate his crouch as we secured the front entrance, the minister's office and the sanctuary. I wasn't exactly the ideal parishioner but I had never seen this place so empty in all my years of living in this little town. The few times I had brought myself to venture here outside of Easter and Christmas mass there was always at least one or two people praying silently in the pews. Thankfully no one remained leaving us to venture behind the stage and up the old wooden ladder into the churches tiny attic.

I scooted past the piles of old boxes that were left to collect dust over the years. In the few days that Matt and I were here I decided to go through them out of boredom and found myself faced with nothing more to look a then old holiday decorations and forgotten bibles left to gather dust in the corners of the room. We made our way to the small open space near the back window; our camp as it were was still set up and covered with a fresh layer of dust. No footprints, he hadn't come back.

"There's nothing here."

"I know." I sighed. I had hoped I would find something other than a moth eaten sleeping bag and a few empty chip bags that scattered the floor but luck was not on my side.

"He could have come back and..."

"No." I cut him off as I stared at the ground. "He didn't."

"What makes you say that?" His voice was low as he stopped beside me and took a look for himself.

"I was only gone for a little more than a week, the dust here is fresh." I pointed to the floorboards in front of me. "No footprints no sign of being disturbed at all." I looked back up at him. "No one's been here since I left." He cracked a slight smile, the same smile that made my heart jump clear into my throat as he nodded and let out a little sigh of approval.

"I didn't peg you for a tracker." He smirked as he nudged my side with his elbow. I returned the smile and shrugged.

"I'm not. I guess I've just learned a thing or two from you." After a few more moments of silent approval I followed him out of the church and down the street, careful to keep low and keep quiet as we weaved through back yards and deserted streets in search of anything. Even the smallest sign would have been enough to keep my spirits up but the farther we went the more I felt like simply giving up.

Daryl stopped at the end of the road and turned to me with a sigh. He wasn't as vested in finding my brother as I was but judging by the look of defeat he held as he slung his crossbow over his shoulder and stepped toward me I could tell a part of him was hoping to find something if not only for my sake.

"We still gotta get back to the truck, maybe..." I put my hand up to stop him. "Why do you keep interrupting me?"

"Daryl, just forget it. Let's head back and get out of here." He sighed as he reached up to rub at the back of his neck before peering down the street to his right.

"We can do both."

"Why does it matter to you?" His jaw tensed at my words and it wasn't until I saw the hurt in his eyes that I realized my words were sharper than I had meant them to be. "Daryl I'm sorry."

"No." He barked. "It's alright, it's not like it's that easy to believe that I'm out here walking all over hells half acres looking for some dumb fuck that's probably already dead because it matters to you." I sighed and shook my head as he began pacing in front of me, his fists clenched at his side.

"Daryl..." He stopped his stride and looked over at me, rage burning behind his eyes as he waited for me to speak. The truth as I had nothing to say, I just wanted to get his attention. "I'm sorry." He sucked in a sharp breath and nodded. I watched as his fists unclenched and with a deep breath he walked over to me.

"I don't know how to be around girls..." He muttered sheepishly.

"Daryl," I smirked. "You don't have..."

"No, I ain't done." I raised my hands in surrender and waited as he mustered up the courage to finish his thoughts. "I told ya I wasn't the touchy feely type and I ain't." He reached up to rub at the back of his neck as I waited silently for him to continue. "Back at the house you said you liked me a whole lot, truth is I'm pretty fond of ya too." I smiled. The warmth of a sudden blush washed over me and I felt my stomach flutter at his words.

"You are?" I mused as he turned his eyes away from me. There was something about watching a man like him act like teenage boy that made me chuckle. The way he smiled nervously around me, the way he tried as hard as he could to hide the blush that crept across his cheeks. He was a survivalist at heart but more than anything I loved being able to see past that from time to time. He nodded as he chewed on the tip of his thumb, standing as far away from me as the edge of the sidewalk would allow.

"For the life of me I don't know why." He smirked. "I ain't known ya that long."

"Things like this aren't exactly logical Daryl."

"I know that." He chuckled. "Look," He took a few attentive steps toward me. "I'm sorry I yelled at ya."

"Daryl its fine."

"No it ain't." He barked. "I shouldn't talk to ya like that."

"Seriously Daryl its fine." He looked up at me in confusion. "Okay so you're right maybe learning to control your temper wouldn't be a bad thing." I smirked. "But it's who you are and I get that."

"You do?"

"Part of liking someone is accepting them for who they are." He looked up at me slowly and I watched as a smile crept across his lips. "That doesn't mean apologies aren't nice." He chuckled and nodded gently. "But as much as this hallmark moment is nice, we gotta get back to the truck or Merle's gonna throw a fit."

"Alright." He laughed lightly as we turned down the sidewalk and made a full circle back toward the truck. We walked quietly through the neighborhood, keeping our eyes and ears out for any sign of my brother but I wasn't hopeful and somehow I felt ok with that. I knew my brother well enough to know that he was a survivor, he didn't take well to my dad's lessons but I know he didn't forget them and it wouldn't surprise me to find him in a tree somewhere scanning the perimeter.

We rounded the last corner and the back of the tiny gas station came into view, the nose of the truck peeking just around the western wall and just behind it the sound of silence. I looked over at Daryl as a wave of dread swept through me. He nodded, the same thought crossing his mind as we took off in a soft run toward the truck.

The dread I felt was just getting worse as we found the truck empty. Daryl made his way quickly into the gas station while I stood watch and just a few moments later came rushing outside and shook his head.

"Shit." I muttered under my breath as he stopped at my side. "Where the hell did they go?"

"Beats me." I could admire the fact that he was trying to hide his fear but it shone through as he took his eyes off of me and scanned the line of houses that surrounded us. I jumped as the sound of a frightened shriek echoed around us and Daryl, without a moment's hesitation took off toward the source of the shrilled cries that filled the air.

I followed him toward the small neighborhood and into the overgrown backyard of the only blue house on the block. We ran past the neglected swing set and I cringed as we stepped over the fallen bodies of a woman and her baby. I could feel the sting of tears welling up behind my eyes but I pushed my feelings of remorse and fear to the back of my mind as the sound of another shriek came from inside the house.

Daryl threw open the screen door nearly knocking it off of its hinges and I followed him inside.

"CYNTHIA RUN!" Corey shrieked as Merle gripped him around the middle, pulling him away from the horde that had surrounded her. I pulled my gun and Daryl lifted his crossbow to his sights as they closed in on her.

"GO ON YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!" Merle bellowed as he shoved Corey away.

"NO! SAVE HER!" They had her pinned against the wall, eight of them between her and us and as I moved to take the first shot I felt Daryl's hand on my shoulder.

"DO SOMETHING."

"LOOK!" He shouted back and my eyes followed his arm toward the wound on her shoulder. She was already gone and as I watched she reached out to me, crying for help as another latched onto her arm and ripped away at her with a snarl. I fumed for a moment before lifting my gun and flicking the safety off with my thumb. "Ari don't let's go." He barked next to me. Without flinching or taking my eyes off of the massacre in front of me I fired, ending her lift and saving her the pain of death. After all it was the least I could do.

We left the house, Merle dragging Corey as he fought and clawed trying desperately to free himself from Merle's grip. Merle tossed him to the side as we stepped outside and stood between him and the door. His eyes turned on me and I stepped back as he got to his feet and charged toward me. My vision went white and I dropped to my knees, clutching at my jaw as he fell on top of me and pulled his fist back for another hit.

Daryl barreled into him, knocking him off of me and pinning him to the ground a few feet away. I took the opportunity to sit up and rubbed at my aching jaw.

"LET ME GO!"

"LIKE HELL!" Daryl roared back as Corey flailed against him.

"SHE KILLED HER!"

"No I didn't." I cried.

"SHES A FUCKING MURDERER!" Corey screamed as he turned his eyes to me once again. Daryl grabbed his face and forced him to look up at him, holding tight as he growled under his grip.

"She was already dead; Ari did her a fucking favor." He roared. Corey went limp in his hold but the rage in his eyes was all but dead. After a few moments Daryl climbed off if him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and lifting him to his feet.

"I hate to put a rush on this but if we're gonna get to Atlanta before sundown we need to be leaving." Merle spoke softly from behind us as Daryl and Corey stared each other down.

"Go on, I'll see you all in hell." He barked.

"That's suicide man." Merle called after him as he stepped back toward the gate.

"Fuck it, and fuck you." He growled at me before storming off and onto the street. I lowered my eyes and sucked in a few deep breaths before Daryl moved to my side, throwing his arm over my shoulder in an attempt to calm my sobs.

"Well ain't that cute." Merle groaned.

"Shut it man, she just fucking killed someone." I buried my face in Daryl's chest as he wrapped his other arm around me and did the best I could to calm myself down. As much as I needed to have a nervous breakdown right then and there Merle was right, we needed to leave if we were going to make good time. "You ok?" He asked quietly as my breathing began to slow. I sniffed loudly and nodded against his chest, moving back as he let me go and in an unexpected move, reached over to wipe the tears from my cheek.

"We should go." He looked down at me, gauging the honesty in my eyes before nodding gently and shouldering his crossbow. I followed them out of the yard and climbed quietly into the truck, jumping as the sound of Merle's bike came to life behind us. I watched out of the window next to me as he pulled out onto the street and Daryl's hand came to rest on my shoulder. I looked over at him and did the best I could to smile but it didn't take a genius to see that he didn't buy it.

He started the truck with a sigh and pulled out of the gas station and onto the road. Following close behind Merle we made our way onto the interstate and I found myself shocked to see that ours weren't the only vehicles making their way west toward Atlanta. I smiled, slightly hopeful as we pulled behind a big white Winnebago and followed it until night fell over the horizon.

**A/N- ****I have a lot planned for this story, I wrote it all out on a piece of paper and I don't know about you guys but I am excited. Thank you all for sticking with my story this long, I hope you are enjoying it and I hope that you will stay with me as we follow Daryl and Ari wherever they might go. **

**On another note who else is excited for Season 3? Personally I kind of feel like a heroin addict here, I'm getting all itchy and impatient lol. **

**I love you guys **** Really I do, without you I'm just a nutjob sitting in my room all day writing stories when I could be doing more productive things like gaming or chasing my dogs around the front yard.**

**XOXOXO  
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**Penelope**

**P.s – Don't forget, reviews are like candy, you can live without them but what would be the point!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Song of the chapter – Where did you sleep last night – Nirvana**

As we crossed the border out of my little town I said a silent goodbye to the place I had called home. Aside from growing up their I had never really ventured far outside its borders. My mother and I had only take one or two trips to Atlanta and I was hardly old enough to remember those so I found myself growing more and more excited with each mile we put behind us.

The sun had set more than a few hours before and I looked over as Daryl was stifling a yawn from the driver's seat. I checked the clock and groaned. Nine thirty... Merle was gonna be pissed. After a lot of conversation, a little convincing and some unneeded begging I convinced Daryl to pull off to the side of the road and allow me to drive.

"Do you even have a license?" He argued as he put the truck in park.

"Yes." Merle pulled around us and held his bike steady as we argued on the turnpike. He eyed me suspiciously and undid his buckle as if allowing me the wheel was the worst decision he could be making.

"Fine." He groaned. "Too tired to argue, just don't kill us ok?"

"I'll try." He eyed me again before climbing out of the truck. I relished in the sounds of cars rushing past us, at least something in this messed up world was normal.

"What's the hold up?" Merle bellowed over the roar of both of our engines.

"Switching places, it's fine." Daryl waved him off before climbing into the passenger seat. I climbed in next to him and buckled up as he made himself comfortable.

"The gears grind sometimes be careful."

"I got it." I smiled as I put the car in first and pulled back on to the highway.

"Don't go to slow... don't go so fast... don't ride the break... remember the clutch."

"DARYL!" I barked, interrupting his slew of commands. "Relax, I know how to drive a stick." His eyebrow rose as I returned my eyes to the road. "My brother let me drive his truck to school a lot."

"Yeah well this is the highway, it's different rules out here girl."

"I know that and I seem to be doing fine." Giving up, Daryl turned his head to the window next to him and began tracing circles in the steam that had begun collecting on it. "Aren't you gonna get some sleep?" He looked back at me and smirked.

"You gonna make me?"

"I could try." I smirked back at him. Daryl shook his head and curled up on himself with a grin.

"I'd like to see that." I shook my head and continued after Merle as the sound of his soft snoring filled the cab. It was amazing to see a line of cars whipping past me and the glare of headlights behind me. After going days without hardly seeing another soul it felt nice to feel like nothing was wrong, everything had been just a dream. As we drove I imagined that Daryl and I were headed on a trip; Camping, fishing, hiking whatever it didn't matter to me where we were going but we were going somewhere to enjoy ourselves. Not following a line of scared people in search of somewhere safe.

I pushed the thought out of my mine as the line of traffic slowed to a crawl and the bright lights of Atlanta began to break the monotony of the darkness that surrounded us. Just a little further and we would have sanctuary. The thought excited me and I pulled myself from my hopefulness just in time to slam on the breaks and keep from hitting the Winnebago that stopped in front of us.

I searched in front of us for Merle's bike, feeling panic set in as Daryl pulled himself up and rubbed at his temple.

"Watch the breaks." He groaned. "Knocked my head off the dash."

"Sorry." I muttered absently as I lifted myself and continued my search. I jumped as the sound of tapping broke through my frantic silence and Daryl began rolling down his window. "Where'd you go?" I barked as Merle poked his head in.

"Moved up ahead ta get a better look, traffic's stopped."

"Shit." Daryl groaned.

"Get out, were on foot."

"What why?"

"I told ya we're not moving, let's get up the line and see if anyone knows what's goin on." Daryl sighed heavily and I unbuckled myself as the symphony of car horns began blaring in the distance. We stepped out into the night and it became appertain almost immediately that we weren't the only ones with the idea in mind. We walked past a long row of frustrated people as they began piling out of their vehicles and on to the road and I jumped as the Winnebago's door flew open nearly smacking me in the face.

"Watch it man." Daryl growled as an elderly man stepped down the stairs and shut the door behind him.

"Oh I'm so sorry, are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine, close call." I smiled as he brushed himself off.

"Good." He nodded. He had a kind smile behind his salt and pepper beard. He reminded me of the men that came to our town to play Santa Claus around Christmas and already I found myself charmed by the sweetness he seemed to hold. "Any idea what's going on up there?" He pointed his thumb toward the gridlock ahead of us and I simply shook my head.

"No that's what were going to find out."

"Well do you mind if I tag along?" I looked back to Daryl as he shrugged and nodded at the old man.

"Not at all."

"Thank you." He nodded with a bright smile and followed close at my side as we made our way past the crowd. "Names Dale." He grinned, offering me his hand as we walked. I took it, shaking it gingerly and offering him a soft smile as he let go.

"I'm Arianna, and that's Daryl and Merle." I pointed to the brothers as they carried on ten steps ahead of us. He nodded and looked out over the lights of the city.

"I sure hope they're ready for this many people."

"I'm sure they are." I smiled back at him.

"Yeah you're probably right." He nodded with a weak smile. "So where are you coming from?"

"Is it important?" I chuckled. Dale shrugged and offered me a weak chuckle. I wasn't the best at reading people but something told me he needed to be distracted so I gave in. "No name town out in the sticks."

"No name huh?" I nodded.

"Yeah they just never really got around to it you know." He laughed lightly and I joined in. Another one of life's pleasures that becomes all the more important in times like these. I stopped at Daryl's side as we came up on what looked like a tailgate party gone wrong. Two kids sat on the gate of a jeep occupying themselves with a game of checkers while a young brunette woman held her fingers to her mouth and looked on in worry.

"Hey man, heard anything?" Merle nodded toward the city as he pulled the attention of a dark-haired man. As he turned I saw the badge on his hip and the gun that sat in its holster just beside it.

"Naw nothing yet."

"I'm sorry," We turned as a short-haired woman wandered around the jeep and held her purse out to the other. "Seems he forgot to pack them, I have some crackers in my purse."

"No, it's ok sweetheart really." The brunette smiled softly as she stopped her. I didn't like the look on her face and the sting of memories past tugged at my chest as I recognized hers as the look of a broken woman. I didn't know her but in that moment I would have given anything to take that away from her.

"I'm gonna go on and scout up ahead," The dark-haired man spoke quietly as he turned toward the brothers. I looked up as the sound of thunder rumbled through the sky.

"Is it supposed to rain?"

"Don't rightly know." He smiled. "You boys wanna come along?" They nodded together and Daryl turned to me, planting a quick kiss on my cheek as the brunette said goodbye to what I could only assume was her son.

"You stay here, well be back." I squeezed his arm gently and smiled.

"Don't forget me." I teased as he pulled away and shouldered his weapon. I watched as they disappeared into the distance and leaned back against the silver car behind me with a long and worried sigh.

"Your boyfriends pretty cute." The silver-haired woman teased as she took a seat next to me. I laughed lightly and shrugged.

"He's not my boyfriend, at least I don't know if he is." She smiled and patted my shoulder gently.

"Well whatever he is, at least you have someone." I smiled over at her and nodded. If only she knew how true her words really are. Another shock of thunder shook the air around us followed by the gasps and sudden cries from the frightened and frustrated people around us.

"So what's your name?" I asked quietly, drawing her attention away from the sky. She offered her hand to me and I took it gently.

"Carol." She spoke meekly.

"Mommy, when are we gonna leave?" A little girl asked at her feet before I had the chance to introduce myself.

"Soon baby." She ran her hand over the little girls head as she offered a sincere smile. "I promise." My head started spinning and a loud yawn ripped through me as the little girl skipped away and back to her game. I stood from the car and stretched as far as I could.

"Do you think they'll mind if I lay down in their car?" I nodded toward the silver Volvo I had been using as a chair. Carol shook her head and motioned for me to go, without a word I pulled open the back door and climbed inside. After a few moments of tossing around in the back seat I finally managed to find a comfortable position and not long after that, and without my permission my eyes slipped shut and I drifted off, leaving the world around me far behind.

**XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxX xxXxxXxxXxxXxxX**

I woke to the sound of the car door clicking open at my feet and looked up through tired eyes to see Daryl leaning in. He nodded for me to come with him before I even had the chance to properly wake up and sluggishly I obeyed.

I sat up and rubbed at my eyes as he waited outside of the door. He didn't push me, demand that I move faster or even say a word for that matter and it was with that realization that I knew something was very, very wrong.

I threw my legs out and took his hand as he offered it to me, helping me to my feet. Before I had the chance to say even the smallest single word he closed the door behind me and began pulling me toward the back of the car.

"What's wrong?" I asked as he pulled me toward the side of the road and looked out at the woods that surrounded us. He took a deep breath as he leaned over the railing and kept his eyes straight.

"There ain't nothin in Atlanta."

"What? What happened? Are they turning people away?" Daryl shook his head and stood, placing his hands on my hips and holding on to me as I waited for him to answer my barrage of questions.

"They ain't turnin people away."

"It got overrun?" That was it, I was sure that was it but my heart sank as he shook his head.

"Naw."

"Then what?" He sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know Ari, we got there and these helicopters were flyin over the city..." He dropped his eyes and took a deep breath. "They're droppin napalm in the streets." I gasped and stepped back. "There ain't nothin there."

My thoughts reeled and me heart pounded in my ears as his words echoed in my mind. Nothing... There was nothing left.

"What are we gonna do?" I muttered, fighting the urge to cry as he reached out and took me into his arms. "Where are we gonna go?"

"I don't know." He whispered as he placed a kiss at the top of my head. I gripped at his shirt and sobbed heavily into his chest as he held me. I was so sure when we left that it would be safe, so sure that everything was going to be ok. Another wave of thunder shook the air around us and Daryl's grip tightened around me as I cried out with the thought of all those trapped in the city streets. Death by walker or death by fire...

What would you choose?


	17. Chapter 17

I hadn't slept that night, or much in the nights since. The boys went about making plans with the man I had come to know as Shane, Dale and the two women he had rescued on his way to Atlanta and the silver haired woman with the kind smile. I liked them, I really did and that's why I felt horrid for being as absentminded as I was as we moved up the cliff side to find a suitable place to camp.

Daryl had let me stay in his tent while he and his brother helped the others to set up and thankfully no one seemed to judge me for it. From time to time I wondered out and silently helped Andrea and Lori with the laundry, or quietly sat next to Shane while he explained the fine art of mushroom picking to Amy and I. I guess a silent student is the easiest to teach because he seemed to enjoy the time we spent in the woods and I was growing quiet fond of the quiet.

It was rough getting used to this new way of life and the growing family that began to surround us. Shane and Andrea went into Atlanta not long after we got settled and where they left with two they returned with three. An Asian boy named Glenn they had found hiding out in the upper levels of a department store. He had a kind smile and like me he seemed rather shy at first but with each new town run it seemed, at least from what I heard that he had proved his worth time and again as someone who not only knew his way around the city but was good at getting out of a tight place in a pinch.

A few days later they returned with another load of survivors; a man named Tony and his family were welcomed without question along with a kind hearted ex mechanic named Jim. From what I gathered they hadn't heard about what happened that night in Atlanta, how could they? They had traveled there looking for the very same refugee center only to find themselves trapped in the midst of a cannibalistic death trap. Shortly after they got there Jim had told me that their group had sixteen when they arrived but Jim, Tony and his family were the only ones that managed to make it to safety and hold tight until Shane and Glenn found them.

The last to come was a man who insisted we call him T Dog and a young woman named Jacqui. The women had no issue finding there comfort together and T Dog, well if there ever was a sweeter man with a kinder laugh in the state of Georgia I hadn't met him.

I hadn't seen Daryl much since we set up; between running to town and hunting in the woods he was almost always gone and I didn't have the strength nor the will to join him. I was too distracted to do any good and I hoped that he understood that. But with the sour almost always comes the sweet and even though I was missing his company terribly I certainly wasn't missing Merle's.

I woke one morning to the sound of a silent banging at the top of Daryl's tent. The boy's had left together the morning before and since they hadn't returned I assumed it was alright to make use of the shelter. I looked up and almost immediately heard the chirping of a squirrel in the branches overhead. I stumbled out of the tent and looked up as I covered a yawn; the little bastard was dropping walnut shells in just the right way that they bounced off of the metal pole at the top causing a loud thunk and maybe I was just tired but I could have sworn he was laughing at me as I glared fiercely at the branch overhead.

"Morning." Lori smiled as she stepped out of her tent. I waved and offered a soft smile as Carl ran out after her. "Hey!" She called, turning her back to me to grab her boys arm. "Don't you go runnin off now you got chores to do."

"I know mom. Morning Arianna." He waved over to me.

"Go on and see if Amy needs any help ok?"

"Okay mom." He nodded with a bright smile before turning on his heels and taking off for camp.

"They never stop do they?" She chuckled as she walked over to me.

"I guess not." I smiled weakly. Lori gave me a shocked look and reached her arms out to me, taking me into a quick hug.

"I was starting to think you were mute!" I chuckled as she stepped back.

"Daryl says I was in shock." I motioned behind me as if he were right there. "At least that's what he told Shane."

"Well," She nodded. "I can see how that would be true." I nodded solemnly and crossed my arms over my stomach. The memory began to flood me and suddenly I found myself unable to stand. I fell back onto the ground and pulled my knees up as I sucked in a few deep breaths. "Okay, alright it's okay..." Lori comforted me as I closed my eyes and waited for the feeling to pass. She rubbed my back gently, saying nothing as I tried to concentrate on the simple act of breathing and nothing else. "Is there something you're needing to talk about sweetheart?"

I thought for a moment as she pulled her hand away and made herself comfortable. I looked at the trees, the sky even the ground searching for something anything to center myself.

"I thought it was bad, where I was." I began to sob. "It hit fast." I sniffed. "We got the broadcast about the virus and in a few days the town was destroyed. My family, my friends they were gone." I crossed my legs and picked a flower from in between the blades of grass at my feet, twirling it in between my fingers as I thought of what to say.

I told her about the church, my brother even Cynthia and how I had to put her down like a dog in the streets. I told her about how I had met the brothers, how Daryl had saved me and how much it had meant to me to have at least one shining beacon of hope in this crazy world. In turn she told me about her travels with her son and what it was like having only Shane to protect them. She told me about her husband Rick. A good man, a strong man. He was a deputy and the way she talked about him spoke volumes. She missed him dearly and wished like hell that things had been different.

She went on to tell me that everyone had a story; what they had lost and what they had gained. The horrors they survived to make it to where they were and she told me that if it hadn't been for her son she wouldn't have had the strength to even think about surviving.

"Sometimes there is a light hiding in the darkness but sometimes you have to make your own light you know?" I nodded and it wasn't until then that I noticed the tears had stopped coming. I wiped my cheeks and offered her a thankful smile. "Seems to me like you have a light in that Dixon boy." I shrugged. She was right in a way, I just hoped that my recent hiatus from speech hadn't damaged that in any way. "Do you want to know one good cure for depression?" I looked to her and nodded. "Not being alone." She smiled. "How about we go sit in camp for a while."

"Actually that sounds good." I smiled as Lori moved to her feet and offered me her hand, pulling me onto my own. I dusted myself off and followed close behind her as she led me out of the thick brush of trees and toward the blinding rays of sun and the center of our new found home.

"Well hey there." Carol smiled as we made our way past the campfire. "Saved some laundry for you." She teased as Lori helped her to pull the last few items from the line.

"Oh why Carol I didn't know you cared." I chuckled along with them and just as Lori had done, Carol turned to me with the same look of surprise.

"Would ya look at that." She grinned. "I don't think I've seen you do that since we got here."

"Yeah about that." I rubbed nervously at the back of my neck. Before I had the chance to apologize Sophia ran behind me, clutching at the hem of my shirt as she dodged out of Carl's way. I laughed as she spun around, using me as a shield and screeching at something he had dangling from his fingers.

"Mom do something!" She begged as Carl stepped behind me. Whatever he had done had scared her enough to jump clear around me, knocking the basket of clean laundry off of the tree stump and onto the ground. Lori grabbed Carl's arm and pulled him aside as Carol's husband Ed stepped into view. I never liked him. Was it wrong to think something like that about someone you didn't know?

He grabbed Sophia's arm yanking her roughly in his direction.

"What in the hell do you think your doing?" He growled into the scared little girls face. Carol stepped in, wrapping her arms around the girls shoulders as we stood by silent.

"They were just playing Ed." He let go of the girls arm and kicked a hefty load of dust onto the fallen pile of clothes.

"And look what happened." He sneered as he took a last puff off of his cigarette before tossing it to the ground and Carols feet. "We ain't got time for this shit."

"I'm sorry." She spoke meekly. What was she apologizing for? It took every ounce of strength I had to hold my tongue. If he was anything like my father, and I was sure he was than saying even the smallest word was something that Carol would have to pay for in the end and the last thing I wanted to do was to make her life any more difficult than it already was.

"Well go on now, clean it up and get yer ass back up here. We got some things need talking about." He glared before finally storming off. I bent down to help her clean up the mess, keeping my distance as Lori assured both Carl and Sophia that it wasn't their fault.

"I can take this down to the quarry." I offered as we tossed the last shirt into the basket and set it back on the tree stump.

"No it was my fault I should do it." She spoke in barely more than a whisper. I grabbed her arm gently and stopped her as she went for the oversized silver bucket and what meager laundry soap we had left.

"Carol, it's just a little dusty it doesn't need washing again."

"But Ed..."

"What Ed doesn't know wont hurt him." I smiled. "Go on spend some time with your girl, she'll need you after that. I'll take this stuff down the rock side and shake it out he wont know the difference." Carol looked up at Lori who to my relief gently nodded.

"Thank you." She whispered before moving to her feet and grabbing Sophia from the rock she had planted herself on and headed toward our side of camp.

"That was nice of you." Lori smiled as I grabbed the basket and adjusted it on my hip.

"It's no problem." I shrugged as I looked behind me. "I had an asshole for a dad too," I looked back to her with a smirk. "I know what it's like." Lori nodded and bent down to grab a towel we had missed and tossed it onto the top of the pile.

"You want some help?"

"Nah." I shook my head. "Thanks but I figure I might as well wash up while I'm down there."

"Okay." She nodded. "Well I'll do my best to keep the troupes up here. You gonna be safe?" Her question was more than deadly serious and I turned to show her the pistol tucked into belt at my hip.

"I got it covered. But thanks." I reached down to grab the bucket and soap before turning on my heels and making my way down the slope of trees and toward the quarry.

It wasn't a far walk, about a mile or so but when you're carting more than your arms can hold while sliding down the edge of a cliff things can get a bit tricky. I managed to keep my footing but the basket wasn't so lucky. I spent most of the hike down gathering the remnants of clothes that stuck to the jagged edges here and there and carried them as carefully as I could to the bottom of the cliff. It would have been easier to take the trail but Ed was parked up there and as far as he knew it was Carol down here and not me.

I tossed the clothes into the basket and picked it up along with the silver bucket and the laundry soap. The bottle had cracked on the way down leaving the rock side sticky and linen fresh. Someone was bound to be pissed but with town runs being as frequent as they were I could easily offer to go and make up for my mistake.

I set the basket down at the edge of the rock face and stared out over the water. I had always loved scenes like these but rarely if ever did I get the chance to enjoy them. Once or twice my grandfather had taken me fishing but I was too much of a girl to catch anything, as he put it. I always felt bad for the fish so he'd taken the hook off of my pole and instead gave me the important job of feeding them while he caught dinner.

I kicked my shoes off and dipped my toe into the water, closing my eyes as it lapped gently over my foot. It wasn't long before I decided to ditch my jeans and my gun close by to get a better taste of the water that teased me.

The rush of water over my skin felt amazing as I dove in headfirst and came up with a laugh. I hadn't been swimming since I was a kid. It's incredible the things you never quite seem to forget. The feeling of being weightless, the tingling against my skin as the water around me erupted into a million tiny bubbles and the feeling of fish as they swan gently passed my feet... All things I loved, missed and today sorely needed.

I don't know how long I was out there; in days like these an hour can seem like just a moment but as I came up to the surface for air I found myself covered by a dark black shadow and spun with a shriek as fast as the water would allow me.

"Lori told me you were down here."

"JESUS CHRIST DARYL!" I clutched at my chest. "You scared the piss out of me."

"Sorry." He shrugged as he lay his crossbow down next to my things. I smoothed out my hair and wiped the water from my face as he kicked off his shoes and looked to me with a smile. "Good to see you talkin again."

"Yeah well, it's too nice of a day to be wasted on silence." He smirked as he sat down at the rocks edge and dipped his feet into the water. He reached down to roll up his pant legs as I swam toward him, finding just enough ground beneath me to stand steady in front of him. "Where's your brother?" I asked as I grabbed his foot and ran my hand over the top. He had passed the tickle test but that didn't stop his eyebrows from raising as I balanced his heel on my chest and began rubbing at the bottom of his feet.

"Back at camp..." He groaned as I worked around his toes and back down the pad of his foot. "What in the world are you doing?"

"You've been hunting haven't you?" I spoke into his foot as I bent his toes back, stretching them gently.

"Yeah but that doesn't... Oh!" I chuckled as his eyes nearly rolled back in his head.

"Then God only knows how long you've been on them." I dropped his foot and began to work on the other exciting another groan of approval as I did the same a second time around. "Just thought I'd do something nice for you."

"Feel's nice I can tell ya that." He smirked.

"No one's done this for you before?" Daryl laughed loudly as I dropped his foot back into the water and balanced myself on the rock beside him.

"Who's gonna do something like that for me? Merle?" He broke into another fit of laughter and this time I joined him, nearly loosing my footing and slipping into the water in the process. He grabbed my hand and held my steady as I found my feet and I smiled at him in thanks.

"I don't mean to put a rush on things but I got some game needs skinning back at camp." He stood from the rock and brushed himself off as I looked up at him.

"It'll keep for a little while longer." I smiled. "Come swimming with me." Daryl shook his head and looked out over the water.

"Don't feel like it, besides it's best to get these things done."

"No com on." I reached my hand up toward him and gave him the best pout I could muster with a straight face. "Just for a few minutes." He looked down at my hand, I could see him thinking about taking my offer but instead he just shook his head and smirked.

"No you come with me, give me a hand."

"Hmmm skinning rabbits or swimming that's a mighty choice." He laughed at my sarcasm. "How about we do both, you swim with me for a bit then I come up there and help you out."

"Ari, I don't feel like it."

"Can't you swim?"

"Course I can swim..."

"Ok then come on." I waved my hand at him and his lips twisted with soft laughter.

"No."

"Okay fine then help me out?" I waved my hand again. Daryl sighed and took my had in both of his, pulling gently as I planted my feet at the side of the rock. With just enough leverage I yanked down on his arms twice as hard sending him tumbling into the water behind me with a shout.

I backed away as he came to the surface and struggled to stay afloat when all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball with laughter. Without saying a word he shot me a deathly glare and reached under the water, pulling his knife from his hip and placing it at the edge of the rock before turning back to me.

"It was funny." I offered as his glare intensified.

"You're dead." Daryl growled as he took off after me and it was only shortly after that that I realized I couldn't actually swim that fast. I felt his arms as he gripped me around the waist and pulled me back into him. I shrieked as he tossed me to the side and pushed my head under the water, letting me up only to do it again. I came up with a laugh and wiped the water from my eyes, realizing quickly that he was nowhere to be seen.

"Daryl?" I called out as I spun around looking for even the smallest sign of him. Just as I was about to panic I felt a pair of hands around my ankles pulling me down and into him under the water. I opened my eyes as he held me against his chest and looked up as the need for air began to make itself known. I could barely see him through the murk and my eyes stung as I struggled to concentrate on the smile he held. Daryl leaned in, pressing his lips against mine gently and I felt the need to breath suddenly wash away as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and returned his kiss with a smile.

He kicked up and suddenly I felt the cold sting of the breeze on my neck as we broke the surface.

"Oh sweet Jesus that's cold." I shrieked breaking our kiss. I damned myself for ending the moment but it needed to be said. Daryl laughed lightly before leaning in to plant another quick kiss to my lips.

"Pansy." He smirked as he began to pull me in the direction of the rock face. I waited by the edge, my toes stretched out and searching for anything resembling solid ground beneath me as he pulled himself out of the water and reached down to offer me his hand. "We had a deal remember, don't go pullin me back in."

"What deal?" I asked as I got to my feet and wrenched the water out of my hair.

"You said you'd help me." I bent down to grab a towel out of the basket and my thoughts wondered as I began to dry myself off.

"Oh God." I groaned. "What did you catch?" I tossed the towel at his chest and grabbed my jeans from the ground, slipping them over my shivering legs as he wiped his face.

"Rabbit." I buttoned my jeans and looked up at him in shock.

"I don't wanna skin a bunny."

"Tough." He chuckled as he slipped into his shoes and shouldered his weapon. "Yer gonna learn and I hate to say this," He reached down to grab the over sized silver bucket as I balanced the laundry basket once again on my hip. "But yer gonna be skinnin a lot more than just one."

"Christ I hate you." I smirked as we turned and began to follow the sandy trail out of the quarry.

"That so?" He looked back with a grin. "You make out with everyone you hate then?"

"What?" I chuckled as I ran to catch up with him.

"I'm just sayin that's a funny way of showin me you hate my ass." Daryl laughed loudly. I took off in a run after him. I hadn't really seen this side of him before; sweet, playful and best of all friendly. To say I liked it would be to say the least and as we made our way back to camp Lori's words echoed in my mind bringing a smile to my face and an unexpected bounce to my step.

"_Sometimes you have to make your own light..." _

**A/N – I seem to have gathered quite a few new followers over the last couple of days and I just wanted to leave a little note sending my love and thanks to each and every one of you. The response to this story has been unexpected to say the least and I am so happy to know that you all are enjoying it.**

**I am having to go back and re-watch the first season as I write this and honestly it's kind of fun to say that I'm watching my favorite show for research purposes haha! **

**I love you all and remember, Reviews make the world go around :D  
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**XOXO**

**Penelope**


	18. Chapter 18

We made it back up to camp without trouble and as I handed the laundry basket to Lori I found myself grateful that Ed seemed not to notice that Carol hadn't actually left. She looked up from the book she and Sophia were reading together and offered me a nod of thanks as I passed by her, following Daryl toward the campfire and the string of rabbits that lay in wait next to a large silver pot.

I had no issue with eating them but the last thing I wanted to be doing was sitting next to him as he walked me through the fine art of skinning and preparing what would become our dinner. It took me a long while to muster up the courage to start in on my first; Daryl was already well into his fifth and from my count there were too many more to go.

It took everything I had to hold myself in and keep from loosing it all over his catch and all over him for that matter and I caught him stealing glances and slight chuckles every time I choked on my breath or dropped my knife to cover my mouth.

"It ain't that bad." He laughed more than a few times as he yanked the hide off of his catch without even batting an eye.

"Easy for you to say, you're used to this kind of thing." I groaned as I reluctantly went back to work. He nodded and tossed the small pile of meat he had been collecting into the pot and grabbed the last rabbit, slapping it down on the log in front of him and went to work. He was already done with his catch and smiled over at me as I tenderly and squeamishly finished with my third, tossing him the hide and throwing the last chunks of meat into the pot with a disgusted grunt.

"I never want to look at another rabbit again." I shook my head as he tossed me a water bottle and the red torn rag from his hip. I thanked him as I washed my hands clean and tossed the rag his way.

"Well get used to it, needs to be done these days."

"I know." I sighed as he grabbed the pot and got to his feet with a chuckle. I sat quietly as he walked it over to Lori and took off toward the other side of camp without a word. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the time we spent together and after this afternoon I was looking forward to more of it but Daryl seemed to have other plans.

I was pulled from my thoughts as Shane sat down next to me with a heavy sigh and handed me a water bottle with a smile.

"Thanks." I took it gratefully and pulled the cap off as he looked out over the camp.

"Yeah no problem." I smirked as I relished in the feel of my first ice cold drink in months. He had a kind smile and it wasn't hard to see why Lori trusted him. He cared about everyone in the camp and to me it seemed genuine. He was always quick to help, eager to do more and in my case he made no qualms about making me feel welcome among strangers. "So Lori tells me you stepped in for Carol today." I smirked.

"I didn't do nothing."

"No." He smirked. "No, you see Ed..." He motioned over to the man who glowered out over the rest of the camp, his arms crossed at his chest and a cigarette dangling between his lips. I shook slightly as a chill came over me and turned my eyes back to Shane. "Ed is about the meanest son of a bitch I know. Be honest with you," He smirked. "If it weren't for Carol and her little girl I'd have no use for him, would have just left him on that highway and went on my merry way you know." I nodded.

"Why does she put up with it?" I shook my head as my eyes turned to her. She sat on a stump opposite Lori, helping with the meager stew they were preparing under Ed's watchful eye.

"I don't know." I turned my eyes back to him. "I honestly don't know. But look you did a good thing." He smiled as he patted my back and I looked down with a smile as a blush crossed my cheeks. "Don't go treatin it like nothin ok."

"Okay."

"Now I do gotta ask you something."

"Sure." I nodded as I took another sip of my water before placing the bottle on the ground at my feet.

"That Dixon boy," He nodded off toward the edge of the woods. "What's his story?"

"Daryl? Not much." I shrugged.

"Naw not him." Shane waved it off as he shook his head. "Hes got a temper on him but he pulls his own weight I ain't got no beef with him, its his brother I'm curious about."

"Merle?"

"Yeah, what all do you know about him?" I shrugged.

"Enough to know that it's best to keep my distance." Shane chuckled as he nodded, his eyes fixed on the edge of the camp. "Honestly I haven't known them long I can't tell you much."

"Yeah," He nodded. "Yeah that's what Daryl says."

"Why do you ask?" He shrugged and turned his eyes back to me.

"Well it's just that," He sighed as he ran his hands over his face. "It's just that he's making people nervous you know."

"Who Merle?" I sneered. "I don't believe it." Shane chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"Yeah well believe it hun. It ain't nothing big," He began. "Just a few comments he's made, a few advances on some of the girls... I don't know." He shook his head once again. "I was just wondering what you thought of him." I thought back to that night at the school and reached up to rub nervously at my throat. I honestly didn't know what to say and I didn't realize what I was even doing until I caught Shane looking at me through worried eyes. "You ok?"

"Huh?" I looked up. "Oh, yeah I'm fine." I pulled my hand away from my throat and reached down for the neglected bottle at my feet. "Look Merle can be a pain in the ass and hes far from polite I know." I chuckled as I took a sip and washed the memory from my mind. "But I don't think he's too much to worry about."

"So you think he's harmless?"

"Oh.." I shook my head. "Oh no I didn't say that." I laughed lightly as a smile crept across his face. "Keep an eye on him sure but no more than you would anyone else I guess."

"And Daryl?" I looked away and smiled, a blush crept across my cheeks once again as he waited for my answer.

"Not at all." I shook my head. "He bark's real loud sure," I smiled. "But he's harmless." Shane smirked and nodded over at me before patting me on the shoulder and moving to his feet.

"I sure hope you're right." He offered me a slight nod before taking off toward the RV and leaving me alone with my thoughts as the sun began to set around us.

It was dark by the time Lori called us all toward the campfire for dinner and to my surprise Daryl and Merle somehow heard the dinner bell in the thick of the woods. I helped Carol to pass around our meager bowls and took a seat between the brothers and picked at my bowl as we swapped stories and made plans for the next day.

Glenn had brought up the idea of running into town and I saw the hesitation on his face as a few of the others offered to join him. Up until now he had only taken Shane with him if he took anyone at all and I watched silently as he shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh as more and more hands rose at the chance to join him.

"There a problem?" Shane lifted his eyebrow as Glenn placed his bowl on the dusty ground in front of him and shrugged.

"No I guess not."

"Don't seem to me like yer tellin the truth now."

"It's just..." He sighed and turned his eyes toward Shane. "Look I know there's safety in numbers but I don't wanna be responsible if any of you get hurt." He looked around at us before dropping his eyes to the ground.

"Look man if you ain't comfortable just say so and you can go it alone."

"No." He smiled. "No it's ok, I guess more hands means we can bring back more than just a few cans of beans here and there." Shane laughed lightly and nodded but it wasn't hard to see that Glenn wasn't quite convinced.

I stuck around by the fire as everyone gathered their dishes and made their way toward the tents that sat on the other end of camp. Without one of my own I was more than content to make a bed near the glowing embers and I did just that, but as fate would have it this was not the plan for me that night.

Just as I was nestling myself in the sound of footsteps crunched heavy in the dirt next to me.

"I'm sleeping." I groaned without looking up to see who it was. I heard a soft chuckle as I draped my arm over my eyes.

"I guess that means you don't wanna go for a walk with me then?"

"It's dark." I looked up at him. "It's not safe."

"We ain't goin far." He smirked. "You don't trust me?"

"Not at all." I closed my eyes and readjusted myself.

"Bullshit." He chuckled. "Get up."

"You ain't givin me much of a choice here." I smirked. I looked up at him as he shook his head with a smile and decided it was best to end the debate and move to my feet. I brushed myself off and followed him past the few pairs of watchful eyes that remained seated around the glowing embers of the fire.

"Stay close." Shane muttered as we passed him. I nodded and turned my attention back to Daryl, trying my best to stay close as he led me away from the safety of the camp and into the thick of the woods. He held his hands out to steady me as I climbed over the trunk of a fallen tree.

"Careful there." He chuckled as I slipped, nearly falling into him. I regained myself and continued on behind him until the thick line of trees broke exposing the wide open cliff face looking down over the quarry that sparkled in the light of the full moon. I was so enthralled with the breathtaking sight that I hadn't even noticed the blanket laid out over the rock, if it hadn't been for Daryl's hand reaching out to stop me I would have trampled right over it.

"What's this?" I asked with a smile as I looked down at the place he had made for us. "Oh my God!" I knelt down with a smile and scooped up one of the boxes in front of me. "Are these cookies?" He chuckled as he laid his crossbow on the ground and took a seat next to me. "Holy shit soda!" I snatched on of the cans from the pile and pulled the tab, closing my eyes and shuddering with a smile as it fizzed in my hand; a sound I never thought I would miss.

I lifted the cool can to my lips and groaned happily as I took a long and slow sip, savoring every second of the drinks sweet embrace.

"Oh my God that's amazing." I sighed as Daryl's soft laughter echoed around me.

"Thought you might like that." He smiled as I looked over at him before adjusting myself. I reached behind me and pulled one of the boxes onto my lap and tearing it open. "So what is this?" I smiled as I pulled out a small chocolate cookie and popped it into my mouth. Daryl shrugged and reached into the box, snatching his own.

"Wanted to do something nice for ya."

"Is that so?" I smirked.

"Sure." He shrugged. "And you been buggin me about the whole proper date thing, figure this might get ya off my ass." I popped the last bit of my cookie into my mouth and turned to him with a grin.

"Is that what this is?" I chuckled.

"I don't know you tell me." He smirked. I looked out over the water and sighed.

"You're the one that planned it you should know."

"Well I ain't never been on a date before," He argued. "Ain't too sure how this works." I thought for a moment as I watched the water lap gently at the rock line below us.

"Well we're alone, that's a start."

"Yeah?" He leaned back on his elbows and looked up at me.

"Romantic setting..." I mused as we looked out over the cliff. "And cookies that's a nice touch." Daryl smirked and shook his head. "Where did you get these anyway?"

"Asked Glen to keep an eye out last time they went to town." I nodded. "I gave him a few boxes to keep his mouth shut." I chuckled as I closed up the box and tossed it onto the pile with the rest. "Managed to get somethin else too." I looked over at him as he moved to his feet and disappeared around the trunk of a large oak tree. I heard him rustling around before his head popped back into view. "Close yer eyes."

"What?" He rolled his eyes.

"Just do it would ya." I shrugged and did as he ask. I waited patiently and quietly as he came back toward me, his boots crunching loudly in the dirt before coming to a stop directly in front of me. I heard something scrap across the ground and a loud grunt as he sat back down. "Alright I guess you can open em."

"You guess or I can?" I heard him groan and lifted my hands in defeat. "Alright," I smiled. "Smartass mode deactivated." At first when I looked down I had no idea what I was looking at. A large black hard plastic case sat in front of me and I ran my hands over it as he looked down at me nervously. My fingers found the large silver buckles and I opened them, looking up at him for a moment before lifting the case open and peering inside.

I lifted the bow out carefully and balanced it as he closed the case and slid it to the side. It was small, but seemed just the right size for me. It was brand new from what I could tell and Daryl smiled happily as I pulled back the string slightly before turning my gaze to him.

"Took a few runs before he found one." He spoke nervously.

"It's beautiful." I mused, turning my eyes back to the bow. "But Daryl I have no idea how to use one of these things."

"That's ok. I'll teach ya." I dropped the bow into my lap and smiled over at him.

"You sure?" He nodded.

"I don't want you runnin around with that gun no more, and a knife ain't safe. I'd feel more comfortable if you had somethin with some range on it."

"And something quiet?" He nodded. I leaned over, placing the bow on the case before adjusting myself in front of him. "Daryl you don't have to do that." I smiled.

"Yeah I do." It wasn't a question and from the look in his eyes I could tell there was no argument to be had. "I need to know yer safe." His look was sincere and my heart jumped as I thought about what this meant, what he was trying to say without uttering a word. I leaned forward and sealed the moment with a kiss, my hand trailing his cheek gently as I closed my eyes and breathed him in. He reached over and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close and barely leaving me room to breath as he pulled me tight.

Daryl Dixon had a fire burning in him and even when it seemed to be nothing more than embers it took very little to reignite the blaze that fueled his temper, fueled his anger and in this case fueled whatever sense of passion he had laying dormant inside of him. It took me a while to recognize it and I was a fool not to expect it but as he opened his mouth against mine, pulling me deeper into his kiss I could feel that fire burning and in turn igniting my own.

The switch flipped and Daryl pulled me onto his lap, reaching up to tangle his fingers in my hair as his kiss intensified and left me gasping for breath. I closed my eyes and cried out softly as he grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled my head back gently, giving himself better access to the soft skin of my neck. I gripped his shoulders tightly and ran my fingers through his hair as he licked, sucked and bit his way down to my collar bone before rolling me onto my back with a growl and continuing on to the other side.

His hands explored the curves of my side, lifting the hem of my shirt gently as he did and I shivered and sighed into his kiss as his fingertips grazed the soft skin of my stomach before lifting himself to look down at me. I chuckled softly as his lips curled into a smile and a slight blush colored his cheeks.

"So does this mean you're finally mine?" I smiled as I ran my hand over his cheek. He leaned in and kissed me once again; this time there was no fire but the passion still remained as he rolled off of me and adjusted himself at my side.

"Always was yers." He smiled as he rolled onto his back and motioned for me to come closer. I took the usual position with my arm draped over his stomach and took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"Is that so?" I smirked.

"Well since the first time I kissed ya anyhow."

"The poker game?" I shot up and smiled down at him.

"Yeah."

"Seriously?"

"What?" He chuckled.

"You hardly knew me."

"I hardly know ya now." He answered with a laugh. I laid back down on his chest and sucked in a sharp breath through my soft peals of laughter. "Besides don't need to know a girl to know she's pretty."

"You think I'm pretty?" I smiled up at him.

"That was a general statement," He grumbled. "Ain't never said it was about you." My mouth fell open in shock as he looked up with a stifled grin.

"You are such a dick!"

"And yer a pain in the ass." He smiled back with a laugh. "Don't give me that look." He smirked as he laid back down and motioned for me to join him. As if under a spell I did, and he rubbed at my back gently as we laid there under the light of the pale moon. "Besides you like me just fine the way I am, said so yerself."

"Might be true," I answered groggily. "but that doesn't mean you have to take advantage of it." I shook as he chuckled gently underneath me.

"For what it's worth," I yawned deeply and nestled myself into him as I waited for him to answer. "I don't think yer pretty, I think yer beautiful." I smiled as I pulled him tighter and planted a kiss against his chest before allowing myself to fall into the grip of a much welcome and much needed sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

"Keep yer head down." Daryl hissed as we weaved between the trees. When he had said he would show me how to use a bow I had expected more of a target practice type of deal but it wasn't Daryl's style to do anything the easy way. No, instead he woke me up well before the sun had decided to join us and drug me into the woods against my will with my new weapon in tow. Somewhere in the back of my mind I was sure this qualified as kidnapping.

"What are we looking for?" I whispered as I knelt next to him. He lifted his fingers to his lips and pointed out ahead of us; a rabbit sat calmly, unsuspectingly nibbling at her morning meal and my stomach turned with the guilt that I was sure would soon be justified. "No!" I mouthed, shaking my head.

"You wanna eat?" I groaned in defeat and pulled an arrow from the quiver at my back. I moved to my feet and lifted my bow, waiting for Daryl to correct me and my stance. He looked me over before moving behind me and gently lifting my elbow. "Remember to keep yer arm straight." He whispered into my ear in a smoky, husky tone as his hand ran down the length of my arm and stopped at my shoulders. He pressed into my back and I responded, standing straight at his silent request. "That's good." He whispered again. I was starting to grow tired of the way every single thing he did played on my libido like a bad joke but I did the best I could to hold it at bay and get the task at hand done as quickly as possible.

I swallowed hard and knocked the arrow that until now had dangled lifelessly at my fingers and lifted the bow to my sights. Daryl reached out and adjusted my fingers before stepping to the side with a nod.

"Pull her back." He mouthed and I did, keeping the rabbit in my line of sight as I struggled against the tension of the bow. "She aims just like my crossbow, remember that." I nodded.

"Adjust my aim for wind and height, I got it." Daryl motioned toward the rabbit and took a step back, keeping his eyes on the creature as I did. I took a sharp breath, sucking in against my teeth as I lined up my shot and released the bow. The arrow hit, but not the target I had intended. The rabbit took off as I let out an exasperated sigh and Daryl walked back toward me. "I suck at this, can we both just admit it."

"You just aint had enough practice." He smiled as I threw the bow over my shoulder. I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the brush.

"Maybe this would be easier," I grunted as I wriggled my arrow free from the tree trunk that held it. "If you had shown me how to use one of these things before taking me out hunting." I struggled to slide the arrow back into the quiver on my back. Daryl smirked and took it from my hand.

"Any idiot can hit a hay bale or a tree trunk." I smirked as he shoved the arrow into the quiver and turned me to face him. "Hittin something that's movin that's a different story and that's what you gotta learn." I nodded with a loud sigh. I knew the real reason we were out here and it wasn't to catch our nightly meal. As much as I wanted to forget about it, just for a little while it didn't seem like that was going to happen any time soon.

Daryl motioned for me to follow him and reluctantly I did. I kept my head low, my footsteps quiet and my breath shallow as we searched for movement among the brush. We had to be at least a few miles away from camp and I couldn't help but wonder if it was even safe for us to wonder this far but Daryl seemed to know what he was doing and seeing as how we were surrounded by nothing, with no backup and a world full of monsters waiting to tear us to pieces the only thing left to do was to keep close and hope for the best.

"What's on yer mind?" Daryl asked softly as he ducked behind a tree and let his eyes do the work. I knelt behind him and grabbed a stray leaf from the ground, twirling it in between my fingers as I contemplated his question.

"I was just wondering…" I sighed. "What now?" He looked back at me with an expression that could only be described as pure confusion.

"What do you mean what now?" He smirked. I dropped the leaf and fell back, pulling my legs underneath me as he turned and took a seat against the skinny oak tree behind him. I shrugged and looked up at her branches, taking in the soft sound of chirping that echoed around us.

"Just what I said. There's nothing left, the world as we know it is over and everything we do is just to ensure that we make it to tomorrow." Daryl laughed lightly and shook his head before pulling his leg up to rest his elbow on his knee.

"Was the world really that great before all this?" He motioned around him. I thought for a moment, really thought about his question as he gazed at me, waiting for an answer.

"I can't answer that."

"Yeah? Why not?"

"Because I never really got to live it." I smiled. "I was still in school, still living at home with my parents…"

"Okay then," I looked up as he interrupted me. "The world that you knew, was it better?" I sighed heavily and turned my eyes to the ground.

"No." I muttered after a long silence. "I was an outcast. My dad didn't want me and my mom and brother were too busy with their own chaos to really notice me. I had no friends and I was failing out of school." By the end of my sentence I was laughing and to be honest I really didn't know why. Nothing about that was funny but I couldn't help it. Maybe it was the relief of getting it all off of my chest, or maybe it was finally seeing my troubles for how trivial they were; either way when I looked up I found myself charmed that Daryl had taken to sharing my laughter.

"What about you?" I asked as our moment began to dwindle. Daryl looked around him quickly before returning his eyes to me.

"This is much better if you ask me."

"That's all you have to say?" I smiled.

"Yep." He nodded before cracking his neck loudly.

"Okay no," I smirked. "I spilled it so it's your turn."

"What do ya want me ta say? I like things better this way, it's the truth." He smiled that same half-smile that never failed to make my knees weak.

"Why?" I asked with a smirk. Daryl shrugged and pulled a piece of grass from the ground beneath him.

"What's not to like?" He shrugged as he began pulling the blade of grass apart and tossing the pieces to the side. "I got freedom, got my brother and I ain't got no one tellin me what to do." He tossed the last piece to the ground and smirked. "I got you." I looked up at him and he avoided my gaze, looking everywhere but directly at me as I smirked and reached up to tuck my hair behind my ear.

"You confuse me sometimes."

"Yeah," He caught my eyes for a moment before rubbing at the back of his neck nervously. "Why's that?" I shrugged gently, my eyes to the ground as I smiled.

"Being with you," He shifted uneasily as the words left my lips. "Being around you is like being around two different people." He looked up at me questioningly and I caught myself chewing on my thumb as my mind danced around a proper explanation.

"Sometimes…" I began. "Sometimes it's like we're hardly even friends." I smirked. "And sometimes it's like I'm the only thing you see in the world. I felt myself blush as a thousand memories came flooding back to me. Falling asleep against him in the bed of his truck, the times he protected me, cared for me and stood up for me in the face of someone I could see that he feared in some small way. Daryl looked up at me for a second before tossing the blade of grass to the side and moving to his feet.

I followed his lead and dusted myself off but just as I was about to reach for my bow I felt his hands wrap themselves around my waist, pulling me around to face him. Nervously I reached up, resting my hands against his shoulders as he held me there, staring down into my eyes with a kind of intensity I had never seen before.

"I told ya I wasn't the mushy type." He smirked and so did I, trailing my knuckles down the side of his neck as he pulled me just a little tighter. "And I remember tellin ya I wasn't no good at this kind of thing."

"I know." I smiled. He leaned in close to me, his forehead rested against mine but as much as he tried to hide it I could feel his body tensing against mine. He was uneasy. He wouldn't say it, and in a way I appreciated that he tried to put that aside for my sake or for whatever reason he found it necessary to step beyond the boundaries of his comfort. I closed my eyes as he leaned in, brushing his lips against mine and sending a jolt through my entire body.

He lingered there for a moment and I sucked in a sharp breath, taking in the scent of the woods from his skin as I reached up and allowed my fingers to dance around the spikey hairs at the back of his neck. His arms tensed around me as he opened his mouth against mine and more than anything I wanted to feel him against me just the way he had been only a few hours ago but we were cut short by the sound of a faint cracking off in the distance and Daryl went into survival mode, dropping to his knees and pulling me down with him as he surveyed the land around us.

I caught myself doing the same, holding my breath as we waited for some sure sign of safety in the silence that surrounded us. Daryl relaxed his stance and looked up as the sky began to rumble around us. It didn't take long for these summer storms to roll in but the last place you wanted to be when they hit was outside with no cover in sight.

Daryl grabbed my hand and took off into the woods dragging me behind him as we weaved through the trees and down into a narrow creek bed. I would have been more upset about my soaked shoes and jeans if it hadn't been for the skies above us ripping open at just that moment and showering us in the warm, sweet summer rain.

"Over there." He shouted over a thunder-clap as he pointed off into the distance and before I could really make out what I saw we were off once again. A building slowly came into view as the rain began to beat down on us and a streak of lightning cracking in the distance nearly caused me to lose my footing. It was more of a shack than a cabin but shelter was shelter and seeing as how we were given no choice I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Daryl pulled his crossbow around to the front of him and lifted it to his sights, nodding back at me quickly before kicking the door open and cautiously stepping inside. I grabbed my bow and followed his lead, knocking my arrow and holding it steady before moving into the kitchen. My hands shook as I crept around the corner, using the dirty and cluttered kitchen counter as cover as I searched the room for any sign of movement. Daryl's heavy footsteps echoed through the tiny house as he moved through the living room just on the other side of the wall from me and with a small chuckle I continued my search.

I cringed as I walked past the kitchen table; dishes still piled with old and rotted food lay strewn about and I covered my nose to avoid the smell as well as the rats that made a feast of what was left. I had hoped that it would get better but as I passed the stove I felt my stomach begin to reel and I reached out reluctantly to place a lid over a pot of festering stew. It helped a little but not nearly enough and I caught myself nearly jogging to get to the other end of the kitchen and as far away from the source as I could.

I found a screen door, torn and banging against the hinge with every strong gust of wind and it took nearly all the effort I had to move the shelf that had fallen over, pinning the back door against the wall. I slid the deadbolt in place and left the mess behind me, making my way into the living room quietly and waiting for Daryl's sign of approval. He came out from the back bedroom and nodded gently, placing his weapon on the floor and I did the same. It was an easy enough victory but I still felt wrong as I stood silently in the remains of someone's home.

"Anything in the kitchen?" He nodded behind me and I shook my head.

"No walkers."

"No I mean food." I shuddered.

"I didn't look that hard, go see for yourself." Daryl smirked and walked passed me as I wrapped my arms around myself in a feeble attempt to shut out the cold. If I'd known a storm was gonna roll in on us I would have worn more than a tank top and jeans but hindsight is always the clearest picture we have.

I looked around the room as Daryl shuffled around in the kitchen, the clang of tin cans echoed against the walls and I found myself smiling as his silent cursing flowed in behind it. The tiny cabin was all but bare; whoever had once called this place home didn't have enough time or warning to take even the smallest things with them when they left.

Family pictures still hung on the walls, and smiling faces decorated the mantle over the fireplace. The only one that really caught my eye was a picture of a happy looking old man and a robust brunette with a kind smile hanging onto each other as the posed in front of the tiny cabin. I pulled the picture out of its frame and turned it over in my hand.

**_Andy and Cecilia –February 13._**

I sighed as I read it over. Just two months before the outbreak. I slid the picture back into its frame and returned it to its rightful place before taking a seat on the couch and pulling a small white blanket around my shoulders to block out the cold.

"God damn rats!" I laughed lightly as Daryl continued on, muttering under his breath as I lay down on my side and made myself comfortable. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sound of the wind as it howled around the tiny cabin and the last thing I remember before everything went dark was hoping like hell that everyone back at camp was okay.

**A/N - Hello my lovelies. I just wanted to say welcome and thank you to all the new followers I have gotten over the last few days. 3 And I wanted to share a bit of news with you guys. **

**My first novel Wolves among men, I know i talk about it quite a bit but i want to keep you all in the loop, Is coming out February 14 for Kindle and in paperback through if there are any other places to find it I will be sure to let you know as soon as i do. **

**Feel free to follow me on Twitter, I follow back. mutant_cupcake And check me out on facebook at **

** pages/Penelope-Sweet/167316793376947**

**I'll be posting anything and everything about my original works on Facebook. **

**I LOVE YOU GUYS! So so much! you have no idea! **

**XOXO**

**Penelope**

**P.S Don't forget to leave a review :)**

**P.P.S I'll be posting another chapter tonight to make up for the long space in between reads so be sure to keep an eye out for that**


	20. Chapter 20

I woke with a start as a thunderclap overhead shook the tiny cabin around me. Refusing to open my eyes I pulled my blanket tight around my shoulders and groaned softly into the pillow underneath my head.

"You gonna wake up anytime soon?" He laughed lightly from below me. Despite my stubborn refusal I cracked my eyes open gently and smiled down at him. He sat on the dusty floor just in front of the fireplace warming his hands as he looked back at me with a smirk.

"When did you start that?" I asked sleepily. Daryl turned his eyes back to the fire and shrugged.

"Not long ago. There was some wood left under a tarp outside, figured I'd warm it up in here." I turned my head to look out the window behind the couch and saw nothing but a streak of lightning as it danced across the starless sky.

"Jesus how long was I asleep?" I sat up and rubbed at my eyes.

"Couple hours."

"And you didn't wake me?" I slid off of the couch and scooted to Daryl's side to enjoy the warmth of the small fire he had built.

"Figured you needed it, you were tossing all night last night." I couldn't be sure if it was a blush that had warmed my cheeks or the heat from the burning embers but either way I couldn't push the memory from my mind. Daryl reached over and grabbed a half empty can of green beans and handed it to me before turning his eyes back to the fire. I popped one into my mouth gratefully and did the same, watching the flames as they danced and licked at the air.

"You know this could count as another date." I smiled playfully. He looked over at me and smirked. I hated that half smile he gave me whenever he was too proud to agree with something I said.

"What makes you say that?"

"Don't you watch movies? A guy and a girl, alone in a cabin," I started wistfully. "Warming themselves by a fire while a storm rages over head." He shook with soft laughter as I smiled over at him. "I've seen more than a few romantic movies start out that way." He nodded.

"I've seen a few porns start off like that too." My jaw dropped and Daryl laughed loudly as I reached over, smacking him playfully in the arm.

"You pig!"

"Oh come on, it was funny and you know it." I shook my head with a smile.

"Nope."

"Liar." I shook my head and finished off the last of the can as the fire began to die down and another cold gust of wind broke through the cabin walls. Daryl reached over and grabbed a log from the small pile, tossing it onto the fire and coaxing it gently back to life. He turned to me, his eyebrow raised and it was only then that I realized I was staring.

"What?" He smirked. I quickly looked away and pulled the blanket up to hide my face as he chuckled at my childishness. "You been starin at me all damn day."

"I know." I smiled behind the cover of my blanket. Daryl reached over and pushed my hand down gently, exposing me and my blush to his playful and curious gaze.

"Why?" He asked in a tone that completely inhibited my ability to think.

"I… You just….." I stammered for a few moments longer before degrading into soft nervous laughter. "You're hot all right!" I nearly shouted with a smile. "Is it such a crime to look?" Daryl shook with silent laughter and nervously rubbed at his lip as I dropped my eyes and covered my burning cheeks with the blanket once again.

"Ain't no one ever called me that before."

"Really?" I peeked out at him from the edge of my blanket. Daryl nodded gently, a soft smile shaping his lips as he stared out into the fire.

"I was gonna tell you something today, out in the woods back there." He nodded behind him and I held my breath as I waited for him to speak. "You said," He closed his eyes and sighed gently. "You said that bein with me is like bein with two different people." I nodded. "You said that sometimes it's like were barely even friends?" It was more of a question than a statement and again I nodded gently. Daryl sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "I just…." He sighed nervously and reached up to rub at the back of his neck. "I just don't want ya thinking I don't care about you."

"I know you do." I smiled and scooted closer to him. "How many times have you saved my life now?" Daryl smirked and looked over at me behind a nervous smile. I jumped as another round of thunder and lightning made their presence known, shaking the house around us and lighting up the sky with each deafening roar from above.

"Don't like storms?" Daryl laughed as I looked up nervously.

"Storms are fine," I chuckled nervously. "It's thunder I don't like."

"I can take yer mind off it if you want." He offered shakily. I looked up at him nervously, my pulse racing as my mind danced around a thousand images trying desperately to decipher what exactly it was that he was thinking. My eyes flicked to the window at the far wall behind him, another streak of lightning penetrated the sky and I braced myself for what was about to happen. I closed my eyes, counting the seconds.

One, one thousand…

Two, one thousand…

Three, one…. As the ground shaking crack of thunder echoed through the sky I jumped, but not because of the noise. Daryl leaned in, kissing me hard, fervently and with perfect timing. I had forgotten to breath, forgotten where I was and more importantly forgotten to be afraid as he leaned over me, cupping my face with his strong weathered hands. I returned his kiss with enthusiasm and longing, my heart pounding in my chest as he opened his mouth against mine and coaxed me gently onto my back.

I looked up at him with a nervous smile as he broke our kiss and hovered over me for a moment before grabbing a pillow from the couch behind us and sliding it underneath my head. I looked up at his nervously as he flashed me a smile before pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the side.

"Stripping already?" I asked playfully. Daryl smirked and leaned down, silencing me with a kiss. I gasped softly as his lips trailed down to my neck where he licked, nipped and kissed his way toward my ear.

"I can put it back on if ya want." He spoke in a husky voice as he lifted himself and stared down at me. I shook my head and reached up, trailing the hard line of muscle in his arms with my fingertips. "Didn't think so." He chuckled as he leaned in once again pressing his lips to mine. I closed my eyes and held him tight as his lips continued there assault on my neck, pulling gasps and soft whimpers from my chest before moving down to nip gently at my collar bone. I watched him as he moved, his hands tracing my sides and his thumbs barely missing my breasts as he slithered down my body and stopped just short of the hem of my jeans.

Daryl looked up at me, hesitating for a moment before sliding his fingers under the hem of my shirt and lifting gently. I bit my lip as I watched him, his breath cascading over my stomach and warming me in more ways than one. I reached down to him, running my fingers through his hair and silently begging him to continue. It was nearly painful the way he teased and I could see in the smile that he held that this was something he knew. Daryl hooked his fingers into the waist of my jeans and yanked them down slightly, exposing my hip to the cold air of the cabin before quickly replacing it with the slight sting of his teeth.

He worked his way over my stomach, licking and biting wherever he saw fit. My breath became short and my body shivered underneath his as his lips stopped just short of my bra. I sat up without question and pulled my shirt over my head, tossing it over onto his and devouring him in my kiss as he reached behind me and began fumbling with the clasp of my bra. He growled in frustration, pulling away from my lips all together to look over my shoulder and I couldn't hide the laughter that escaped me as he struggled with a task so small.

Somehow I missed the fact that he had stopped working and reached behind him to unsheathe the knife from his belt.

"Daryl no!" I laughed as I tried to stop him.

"I'll get ya a new one." Gently and quickly he slid the knife behind my back and slit the strap in one quick motion before tossing the knife to the side and violently ripping the now useless fabric from my body. I hadn't even had time to laugh before he latched on, sucking and licking at my breast with a kind of enthusiasm reserved for an animal. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, falling back onto the floor as he switched sides. I could feel the shift in him and just like the burning ember that can quickly turn into a roaring fire, the Daryl I knew as shy and nervous had changed into a man possessed.

He slid in between my legs, reaching down to pull my leg up over his hip as he latched onto my neck once again. I clawed at his back gently, whimpering into his shoulder as he ground his hips into mine softly, testing me with every movement he made.

Daryl shot up taking no time at all to undo the button of my jeans and I found myself grateful that he hadn't decided to cut those off too. I lifted my hips, helping him to slide the rest of my clothing off of me and just as soon as they were gone Daryl moved back into place, licking and biting at my sides before flashing me a glance and a wicked smile. I watched him as he slithered up my body, placing soft kisses and a few purposeful bites here and there before pressing his lips to mine softly. I lost myself in him, so much so that I hadn't noticed as he snaked his hand down my side and in between my legs. My vision went white and I shuddered underneath him, crying out into his shoulder as he rubbed at me gently.

I managed to look up at him, to see the grin that shaped his lips as I shook and whimpered with every movement. I reached down and quickly shoved his hand out of my way. I knew what I wanted and I was in no mood to wait any longer. My fingers fumbled with the button of his jeans and Daryl leaned down, crushing his lips to mine as I finally managed to undo them and began to slide his too big jeans away from his hips.

He kicked them off and lifted himself to stare down at me once again.

"You sure?" He asked in a husky voice. I nodded quickly and pulled him down into me, lifting my leg around his hip once again as I devoured him in my kiss. I cried out, digging my nails into his back as he pressed into me gently, filling me and sending a near violent shiver through my body. I held onto him as he began to move softly and slowly, a near agonizing pace.

Daryl began moving faster, matching his pace with the sound of my cries and I held onto him, bucked against him and arched my back with every wave of blinding electricity that tore through me. He reached underneath me, pulling me tight as he rolled onto his back and pulled me on top of him. I looked down at him with a grin as he held onto my hips and waited for me to take control.

I braced myself against his chest as I began to move. Slow at first but as his grip on me began to tighten I found myself losing all semblance of control. I leaned back, using his legs for balance and closing my eyes as I let loose every single bit of frustration I had felt since the day we met. All the times he had gotten too close without touching me, all the times he broke a kiss too soon, all the times I caught myself drowning in the thought of him.

Daryl began to shudder underneath me, and his grip tightened as he pulled himself up and slid his hand into the small of my back once again. He flipped me onto my back and took over, driving into me wildly as he groaned and whimpered into my shoulder. I felt his body tense against mine, his breath quicken and his cries grow louder with every thrust and I was so caught up in it that I had hardly noticed it in myself. Daryl growled into my shoulder and bit down gently as his thrusts became frantic and I pulled him tight, clawing at him and crying out into the air around us as I gave into the blinding wave of my own release, bringing him to his with a violent shudder.

We laid there like that for what felt like hours, waiting for some semblance of feeling to return as we struggled to catch our breath. Daryl rolled off of me slowly, landing at my side with a thud and a smile and as usual the signal for me to join him. I curled up at his side, pulling the little white blanket over us and listened happily to the sound of his heartbeat as his hammered away in his chest.

The roaring fire had died down to a smoldering ember and the storm that raged outside had all but gone, leaving us in a blissful kind of quiet that I would never, could never grow tired of.

"So that's your idea of distracting a girl?" I smirked as I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"You still thinkin about the storm?" He answered with a yawn. I shook my head and closed my eyes as I nestled into him. "Then my work is done." I could hear the smile in his voice and more than anything I wanted to enjoy the moment with him but as my eyes became heavy and my body weak I knew that it was beyond futile to even try.


	21. Chapter 21

"Just keep yer eyes open, you got this." Daryl whispered as I held my arrow steady, my eyes on the rabbit that nibbled unsuspectingly on her morning meal. I sucked in a sharp breath and held it as I adjusted my sight.

"I got this." I repeated in my mind. It was the last thing I wanted to be doing but at least my first target wasn't human, or some semblance thereof. The rabbit looked up, studying the sounds around it and with that I released my arrow, watching it like a hawk as it sored through the air.

"I GOT IT!" I screeched as the rabbit fell to its side.

"I told ya." Daryl stepped out of the bushes and made his way toward my kill. Without even thinking he dropped down and pulled the arrow from the creature in front of us and wiped it off on his pants before handing it back to me. "All it takes it time." I shoved it back into my quiver as Daryl tied the catch into the rope at his hip. A few squirrels dangled lifelessly next to it, it wasn't much of a haul but it was better than coming back empty handed.

"So can we call it a day and go home now?" Daryl thought for a moment before reaching out and gripping me by the hips. I caught myself in a chuckle as he backed me into the tree behind us and stared down at me with a smile.

"Why are you in such a rush to get back?" I bit my lip and shrugged.

"Hunting's fun and all but I think I've seen enough blood for one day." I whispered as he leaned in, trailing the tip of his nose against my neck.

"That doesn't mean we have ta go runnin back ta camp." I shivered as his lips grazed the sensitive patch of skin just behind my ear. "Besides," He pulled himself away and stared down at me once again. "We get back there an all they're gonna do is put us to work."

"At least here it's just you and me." It was more of a question, my attempt to finish his sentence. Daryl nodded gently before leaning in to steal a kiss. "But," I smiled as I pulled away from him. "If we don't get back, they're gonna get worried."

"Let em worry." He chuckled, leaning in once again. I dodged his kiss and Daryl sighed, staring down at me with a frustrated gaze.

"They'll send a search party and what about your brother."

"What about em?" His eyebrow rose as he questioned me.

"I don't exactly want him sneaking up on us in the middle of the woods." I smirked. "I can't see that ending well." Daryl sighed and reached up to run his hands through his hair. I felt bad; as much as the idea of spending the day lost in the woods sounded wonderful there were only a few ways this could go and none of them seemed entirely worth it.

"Fine." He grumbled as he stepped away from me and readjusted his weapon. "Have it yer way."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I chuckled as I stepped away from the tree and readjusted my shirt.

"Don't mean nothin princess." He sneered with a smile. My mouth fell open and I watched in shock as he took a few steps away from me.

"Princess?"

"Would you prefer your majesty?" My eyes narrowed as he glared back at me.

"You tryin to say I'm bossy?"

"Aint tryin." He smirked. "Just stating a fact." I took off with a growl, following close behind Daryl as he weaved between the trees. "GET BACK HERE!" I shouted as I jumped over a fallen log and closed in on him. Daryl stopped his stride and turned toward me, catching me in his arms and nearly taking both of us to the ground as I flung forward in his grip. "You're dead." I laughed as he pulled me close and turned me to face him.

"You wouldn't kill me."

"I would." I did my best to glare at him as I caught my breath.

"Prove it." I snaked my hands around his hips as he held me close, doing my best to grip the handle of the knife without alerting him. "I knew it." He smirked. Without a word and in one quick motion I pulled the thick bladed hunting knife from his hip and pressed it to his throat.

"I'm quicker than you give me credit for." I smirked as he stared down at me, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"I'll give you that." Daryl swallowed hard and raised his hands up in surrender. I was about to hand the knife back when Daryl slammed his arm into mine and ripped the knife from my fingers. In a blur of movement that left me stunned and bewildered Daryl had spun me and pulled me back into him, pressing the knife delicately to my throat and pinning my arms to my side with his free hand. "But I'm still quicker." He growled into my ear as he held me steady.

My pulse raced and I found myself nervous, not because I thought he would hurt me but because something about the situation excited me even though I didn't want to admit it. Daryl's grip loosened slightly as he placed a gentle kiss to the side of my neck before gripping my hip and pulling me around to face him.

I could hear him sliding the knife back into its sheath as he kissed me and pulled me as close to him as I could possibly get. At least I wasn't the only one that had found a bit of excitement in being held captive.

"Yer insane you know that?" He smirked as he pulled away. I opened my eyes slowly, still struggling to catch my breath as he held me still.

"And you're not?" Daryl shook his head with a smile. "You just held a knife to my throat." I chuckled.

"You did it first." I smiled up at him, a soft chuckled escaping me as he released me and readjusted himself. "Yer learnin to fight though I like that."

"Shhh!" I snapped, holding a finger to my lips as I took a look around. The sound of branches breaking softly in the distance echoed through the woods and I looked back up at Daryl as he caught wind of what I heard. He nodded gently and pulled his weapon around, signaling for me to follow him quietly.

We followed the sound for what felt like forever. When the landscape looks the same it's easy to feel like you're getting lost when actually you're right where you want to me. I crouched down, moving close to the ground as I followed him. Daryl stopped suddenly and motioned for me to wait as he lifted himself just over the row of bushes and took a quick look.

"What is it?" I whispered as he came back down and pulled his crossbow to the front.

"It's a doe."

"Want me to try?" Daryl shook his head.

"Yer getting better but I wanna get this one." Daryl shot up as the sound of breaking branches once again interrupted the silence of the forest. "Son of a bitch, come on." He nearly growled, motioning for me to follow him. I kept close, careful not to make a sound as we followed its tracks. I was starting to recognize the area and as Daryl grew more comfortable with his surroundings I could see he was too. He ducked down, moving behind a tree and motioning for me to stay still before lifting his bow to his sights and sucking in a sharp breath.

The deer cried out and took off as the first shot landed in the pad of its shoulder. Daryl cocked his crossbow quickly and took off after it, giving me barely any time to catch up with him. I jumped as he fired another shot into the creature and I found myself feeling bad for it as it took off with a stagger.

"That went through the neck; no way it's gonna live." He muttered back at me as I crept up behind him.

"You sure." Daryl nodded as he knocked another arrow and slung his weapon over his shoulder.

"Now we just gotta find it."

"Oh joy." I sighed with a smile, following close at his heels as he followed the creature's tracks.

"Shouldn't be too far now." He assured me as he held out his hand to help me up a steep ridge.

"At least we get something other than squirrel for dinner." I smirked as he pulled me up. "Sounds nice for a change." Daryl chuckled as I steadied myself.

"What ya don't like my cookin now?"

"No offence to your culinary skills but squirrel is an acquired taste that I don't have." He nodded and offered me a soft smile.

"City girls is just picky is what it is." He smirked as we began walking once again. He kept his attention on the ground, following the dusty hoof prints without any rush.

"Daryl I…." I began but my sentence was cut off by the sound of shrill screams in the distance. It wasn't hard to recognize Sophia's voice and Daryl looked to me before taking off in a jog toward the screams. They had died down by the time we reached the cliff edge and began climbing down but as we got closer I could hear the sounds of something much worse just beyond the break in the trees.

Grunts and groans, the sounds of metal on flesh filled the air just in front of us and I felt nearly sick as Daryl marched ahead.

"Son of a bitch." He growled as he broke through the trees. I came up just behind him and stepped to the side to see the deer we had been tracking with a hole the size of my head torn straight from its throat. "That's my deer."

"Oh no." I groaned as I saw the walker laying still just a few feet in front of it. Daryl walked over to it as the others lowered their weapons.

"Look at it," He growled as he walked over to what was left of the creature that had stolen his kill. "Gnawed on by this filthy disease bearing, motherless, toxic bastard!" He called out as he landed a few swift kicks to its ribs, not that it didn't deserve it.

"Calm down son that's not helping." I stepped into the clearing as Dale tried his best to quietly calm the situation. I wrapped my arms around myself and stood next to Jim as Daryl charged the old man.

"What do you know about it old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to on golden pond." I lifted my hand to cover the smirk and almost snicker that escaped me. Laughing at his insult was only bound to make him angrier but I'll be damned if it wasn't at least a little funny. With a loud groan Daryl began ripping his arrows from the deer's fallen body and shook his head.

"What do ya think we can just cut around this chewed up part here?" He looked to the group hopefully.

"I wouldn't risk that." Shane smirked.

"That's a damn shame. Ah well, got us some squirrel, bout a dozen or so." He looked to me apologetically. "Guess it'll have to do." I shrugged and let out a long sigh. Food was food but I'll be damned if I wasn't getting tired of the same thing day in and day out and judging by the glances everyone shared I wasn't the only one with that sentiment.

I followed the group as they made their way through the last stretch of woods and back into camp. In a way it was nice to be back home as it were but in another I knew I was gonna miss the woods.

"Hey MERLE!" Daryl shouted as we came up on the Winnebago. "MERLE! Get yer ugly ass out here, got us some squirrel." Shane stopped just in front of me and put his arm out, forcing me to do the same.

"You might wanna go grab a seat."

"What?"

"Just lookin out for ya is all." He smiled back at me as Daryl dropped his crossbow on a log and continued shouting for his brother. My stomach twisted in knots as I put the pieces together.

"Let's stew em up." Daryl shouted as Shane stared back at me.

"Go on." He whispered. Hesitantly I took his advice and moved around the group, taking my place among the girls.

"Daryl, slow up a bit I need to talk to you." I wrapped my arms around myself and chewed at my lip nervously as Daryl turned to face him. Lori squeezed my shoulder gently and I nodded in thanks before turning my eyes back to the group. It wasn't until that moment that I even noticed the new face among them, or the fact that Lori was wearing her wedding ring again.

"There was a… a uh problem in Atlanta." I gripped myself tighter as the boys stared each other down. Everybody watched, stood in silence as Daryl tried to work the satiation out for himself.

"He dead?" I looked to Lori, her eyes fixed on the boys.

"Not sure."

"He either is or he ain't." Daryl growled, his body ridged and his fists clenched as he paced in front of us.

"No easy way to say this so I'll just say it." The new guy stepped forward. He didn't want a fight, I could see it in the way he moved and the way he spoke I just hoped that the others had enough time to warn him about Daryl while we were gone.

"The hell are you?" Daryl barked.

"Rick Grimes." I looked up to Lori and smiled. There were some questions I needed to ask her when all was said and done.

"Rick Grimes? Got something you wanna tell me?" This was not good and I found myself inching back toward the warm metal of the van behind me.

"Your brother was a danger to us all." He started without hesitation. "So I handcuffed him to a roof hooked into a piece of metal. He's still there." My heart sank as Daryl turned and shook his head. Tears in his eyes he didn't want us to see and more than anything I wanted to reach out to him, but anyone who knew him knew he didn't work his issues out in any way that resembled normal.

"Let me process this." He barked as he wiped at his eyes. "You say you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there!" I jumped as he shouted and held my breath. Daryl fumed, his jaw ridged and his fists clenched before hurling the belted catch at Rick and charging him. Shane tackled him to the ground and I gasped as Daryl reached for his knife. He got a few good swipes in before Rick managed to disarm him and Shane caught him in a chokehold and pulled him to the ground.

"BEST LET ME GO!" He growled as Shane pulled him down. Rick dropped to Daryl's level as he struggled against Shane's grip.

"Now I wanna have a calm discussion about this, think we can manage that?" I found myself shaking as Shane released him and Daryl feel to the dusty ground. "What I did was not on a whim. Yer brother doesn't work and play well with others."

"It's not Ricks fault." I looked over at T-Dog as he sheepishly spoke up. "I had the key. I dropped it."

"Couldn't pick it up?"

"I dropped it in a drain." Daryl groaned and shook his head before moving to his feet.

"If that's supposed to make me feel better it don't." He growled, tossing a handful of dust to the ground in front of him.

"Maybe this will." Daryl stopped in front of him. "I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him, with a padlock."

"It's gotta count for something." Rick offered. I covered my mouth as I caught myself crying, not for Merle but for Daryl. In the time I'd known him I hardly ever saw him showing any kind of emotion and seeing him cry was something I couldn't take.

"The hell with all yall." He bellowed. "Just tell me where he is, so's I can go get him."

"He'll show you." I looked up in shock as Lori spoke. "Isn't that right." Rick nodded sheepishly and turned his eyes back to Daryl.

"I'm goin back." Without a word Daryl stormed off, grabbed his crossbow and made his way toward his tent. I didn't know what to do, didn't know how he would react if I tried to reach out to him but in that moment I didn't care. I had to do something.

"Daryl." I called softly as I stopped in front of his tent.

"Go away." He bellowed from inside. He was still crying I could hear it in his voice.

"Can I come in?" I asked, ignoring his request.

"Might as well." He spoke softer this time. "Yer gonna anyway." I stepped inside slowly, carefully and laid my bow down on ground. He looked up at me for a moment before turning his eyes back to the ground.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry." I spoke quietly.

"What for?" He scoffed. "Never liked him anyway." I shot back as he shook his head. "Probably happy as the rest of em."

"That's not true." Daryl looked back up at me. "Granted I don't like him but that doesn't mean I want this and you know that." He nodded gently and wiped at his eyes. "I hope you find him." He looked over at me, his expression hard as he tried to gauge the honestly in my words.

"You mean that?"

"For your sake yes." There was nothing else to say and the fact that he hadn't screamed at me for just being there was surprising as it was. I didn't want to push him but Daryl stopped me as I moved to my feet. He pulled me back down and without a word pulled me into his arms. I wasn't sure what to do as he held on tight and buried his face in my shoulder. I returned his embrace and sat there as he breathed against me, slow and steady. I didn't know what he needed, what he wanted or even if he knew for that matter but as I rested my head against his and relaxed in his grip I couldn't help but feel like in that moment, by just being there I was exactly what he needed whether he knew it or not.

**A/N – LONG TIME COMING! Okay so things got a tad bit hectic after the holidays and I was literally unable to write due to a combination of NO time and writers block. I am in literary withdrawal in a bad way. **

**So I know I paraphrased the infamous squirrel slinging scene a tad and I hope I worked Ali into it alright. It seemed to flow pretty well from my stand point but it's your opinion that matters here not mine. I missed you guys, really I did and I want to thank you and simultaneously apologize for you guys having to wait so long for this chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Remember to leave a review! They save lives you know. **

**XOXO**

**Penelope**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N – This is gonna be a long one, just warning you ahead of time. I hope you all had a very merry Christmas, I know I did. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Remember to review, they save lives you know :D**

"You need to eat." Lori's voice broke through the deafening silence that had consumed me over the last few days. If Daryl coming back from Atlanta empty handed wasn't bad enough, we had lost so many and now we were facing loosing Jim, one of the sweetest men I had ever known. Lori sat down next to me and placed the plate she was holding between us. "Come on now." She spoke gently as she pushed it toward me.

"I'm not hungry." I brought my knees up to my chest and stared out over the camp and what remaining members we had left. Daryl and the others had gone about disposing of the infected and the fallen members of our camp, I helped where I could but seeing Amy as Andrea wrapped her up gently in a sheet was more than I could handle.

"It's been three days and you need to eat something." I looked over at her and shrugged. The thought of even trying was enough to put me off of my appetite.

"I thought it was safe here." I sighed. "Things were going so well." Lori picked up a chunk of bread and handed it to me and to quiet her concern I nibbled at it gently. "I aint gonna cry over loosing Ed," I smirked. "Not a chance in hell. But Amy? Jim? They're good people." I looked over to her and she nodded gently, at least someone shared the feeling. "Daryl hasn't spoken to me since he got back." I sneered, ripping off another small chunk of bread.

"He just needs time."

"I know." I sighed, nearly cutting her off. "I know." I repeated with a nod. He dealt with things in his own weird way and I knew when he left that if things had gone sour he would come back distant but being prepared for that didn't make things any easier. "So what now?" I asked with a sigh. Lori shook her head softly as she stared out over the camp.

"We move on," She patted my leg gently as she stood. "We find something safe." I nodded and watched as Lori took Carl into her arms and made her way toward the Winnebago.

The rest of the night held no promise of change. Rick and Shane sat us down and simply told us we were moving on. This was it, in the morning we were gone headed toward the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The CDC with only a hope and a prayer that anything was left when we arrived. I tried to talk to Daryl, to see how he was doing but all he did was look at me with a faded grin before disappearing into his tent. I felt almost like we were falling apart, all of us and as I curled in on myself in front of the dying embers of the campfire I felt myself shaking. It wasn't until moments before I fell asleep that I realized I was crying.

I woke as the sounds of the camp coming to life filled the air around me. Lori and Carol went about finishing the last of the dishes and packing them away while the kids helped to tear down the clothes line. I lifted myself groggily and smiled as I kicked off the ragged blanket that had been laid over me during the night. It didn't take an abundance of thought to realize whose it was, I'd recognize the weather worn grey fabric anywhere.

I got to my feet and smoothed out my hair before reaching down to bunch up the blanket and tuck it under my arm. It didn't take me long to find him and he didn't look up from his chore as I approached. He'd already had his tent torn down and folded up nicely and as I took a look around I began to realize just how strange it was to see the campsite so bare. Most of the tents were already gone with the exception of Rick and Loris but still the area was as empty as I had ever seen it.

I cleared my throat and Daryl turned quickly, his stance on edge as I stood there with a smile on my face.

"Don't you know better than ta sneak up on me?" He grumbled as I approached.

"Sorry." I smiled. "I just wanted to give this back." I held out the blanket to him. Daryl took it from my hand and nodded before tossing it onto the pile with the rest of his things.

"You were shiverin last night." He muttered as he turned his back to me.

"It's amazing how cold it can get around here at night." He grunted in response. "Have we really degraded to talking about the weather?" I smiled as I wrapped my arms around myself. Daryl sighed and dropped his rag to the ground at his feet.

"What do you wanna talk about then?" He sighed as he turned to me. I shrugged and motioned around me.

"I don't know but I'm sure we can come up with something better than nice day isn't it." I mocked. Daryl chuckled lightly and nodded. I was glad to see it; at least I was making progress. "You haven't spoken to me in days." I offered. "I just kind of wanna know that you're okay." Daryl reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward him and into his chest. It felt nice to be this close to him and it was a change from the way he usually reacted under stress. There was no yelling, no screaming and best of all no subtle jabs of insult. Just him and I in the quiet of the clearing.

"I know you're hurt." I offered as he threw his arms over my shoulders with a sigh.

"I don't wanna talk about that." He sighed as he rested his chin on the top of my head.

"Can I just say one thing?" I pulled back and looked up at him. He didn't argue, didn't make a sound at all and I took it as his way of telling me it was okay to continue. "Everyone's been kind of acting like Merle not coming back is a relief, even if they don't realize it. I'd be lying if I said things weren't just a little calmer here without him." Daryl sighed and began to pull away from me but I reached out and grabbed his arm, tugging him back gently. "I really wish things had been different."

He looked down at me, almost in disbelief as I held onto his arms gently.

"Why? You didn't like him. I thought you'd be happy."

"I'm not." I hadn't meant to smile but it didn't seem to offend him that I had. "I may not have liked the guy, at all actually." I smirked. "And let's face it I'm not exactly his favorite person in the world either but that doesn't mean I wanted him to die or anything."

"My brother aint dead." Daryl nearly barked. "He's still out there, I'll find him."

"I hope you do." And in a weird way I meant it. Daryl smiled down at me before backing away slowly and motioning toward the camp.

"I'm sure they could use a hand up there." I nodded and began my trek back up the hill. I could feel his eyes locked on my figure as I sauntered away and I as I gave my hips a little extra shake just to test that theory, I heard a soft chuckle come up from the clearing behind me.

I came up on the group as they huddled around Morales and his family, tears in their eyes and worry in their voices as they spoke.

"You sure about this?" Rick asked in a low voice.

"We'll take our chances." I stepped up as the group exchanged quick glances with one another.

"We want to be with our people." His wife spoke softly, throwing an arm around her daughter as we all looked on. I felt Daryl come up behind me, stopping at my side as Rick and Shane attempted to talk them out of it.

"We've thought about it. I gotta think about what's best for my family." It was hard to watch as they all said their goodbyes. I hadn't known them long but it seemed like we were losing more people than I could count. Seeing the kids embrace and share tears was too much and I took my leave, making my way back to the campsite to gather my things.

"You okay?" Daryl asked quietly as I zipped up my bag and threw it over my shoulder.

"Fine." I sniffed. He came around to the front of me and gripped my shoulders with a sigh. "I'm fine."

"No yer not." He whispered down at me.

"I am."

"Yer cryin." I chuckled lightly and wiped my eyes.

"I'm fine." Daryl looked down at me and in that one moment, that one glance I knew he wasn't gonna let it drop that easy. "It's just… It's been a fucked up couple of days." Daryl nodded and pulled me into him as I began to sob. It felt good to let go.

I jumped and pulled away from him as the sound of a sharp whistle broke through the trees and startled me.

"I guess it's time to go." Daryl nodded, handing me my bow and quiver with a shrug. I followed him up the hill and helped him to toss the last of our things into the back of his truck before climbing in and pulling the door shut behind me. Staring out at the trees I sighed heavily and pulled my knees up to my chest as the truck came to life and slowly we made our way down the hill. I would miss this place; the woods, the quarry …our cabin. I smiled at the memory of it and I turned to share that smile with Daryl as he reached over to squeeze my shoulder gently before following the caravan out onto the long stretch of road at the bottom of the hill.

I don't know when I fell asleep and I didn't even remember closing my eyes but somewhere in between the camp and a stretch of road I didn't recognize the caravan had stopped and Daryl was gently shaking me in my seat.

"Ali," He whispered. "Come on wake up."

"Just let me sleep." I waved him off, pulling my legs tighter into my chest.

"Can't."

"Why not?" I looked over at him, my eyes barely opened as he shook his head and struggled to speak. Daryl looked up at me through worried eyes and almost immediately I began to uncoil myself. "What's the matter."

"Just come on." He muttered, motioning for me to follow him. I climbed out of the truck and followed behind him as he moved up the hill, crossbow in hand.

"What's going on?" I nearly demanded as I jogged to keep up with him. We stopped at the nose of the Winnebago and Daryl nodded behind me.

"Just thought you'd wanna say goodbye is all."

"What?" I gasped, turning around with wide eyes. The group stood at the top of the hill, each one bending down and shedding tears for what I could only assume was Jim. He was in bad shape when we left and I had a sinking feeling he wasn't gonna make it too far. I jogged up the hill and stumbled to get to him, tears in my eyes and a ringing in my ears as I dropped to my knees at his side and took his hand gently in mine.

"No." I begged as he turned his head slowly toward me. He didn't have to tell me, no one had to tell me why he had chosen to stay. He winced with every movement and shook with pain as he tried to share the simple act of a smile with us all.

"It's okay." I had never heard a man speak so surely of anything in my life. "I'll be okay." Rick dropped down in front of us, a pistol balanced delicately on the palm of his hand.

"Do you want this?" He asked sternly. Jim tried to shake his head but he gave up halfway through and settled on a calm smile instead.

"No." He smirked. "You'll need that."

"Are you sure." Jim nodded gently.

"I'm okay, I'll be okay." I lifted his hand and planted a tiny kiss to his knuckles, fighting the urge to dissolve into tears as he looked over at me.

"I really wish I'd gotten the chance to get to know you better." I smiled halfheartedly. He nodded before falling into a coughing fit and turned his head away from me.

"Me too." He offered with shallow breath. I stood and took a few steps back before offering him a small wave and taking my leave of the group. I nearly ran to the truck, throwing myself inside and slamming the door shut behind me. It wasn't until I pulled my legs up onto the seat that I really allowed myself to let go. I buried my face into my knees and sobbed as hard and as loud as I could and it wasn't just for Jim; it was for Amy, Morale's and his family, even Merle. All the people that died in front of me, my friends, my family and my brother… I needed to let go, needed to put it all behind me and up until this moment I was either unwilling or unable to free myself of the burden of memory.

Somewhere in my cries I drifted once again into the land of dreams but before sleep could really take its grip on me I heard a familiar voice come barreling through the shadows…

"If it takes everything I got, I won't let that happen to you. I promise." A pair of lips on my cheek was the last thing I remember before the world simply melted away.

…..

I woke as the sound of the rumbling engine came to a halt and uncurled myself from the passenger seat with a groan.

"Were here?" I asked as I groggily reached up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"Yeah were here." Daryl lifted himself and took a look around us before grabbing his crossbow from the dash and looking over at me with a quick nod. I climbed out of the truck and stretched my back as the rest of the group took a look at their surroundings.

The sun had already begun to set and the air stank of death and decay. The world would have been quiet had it not been for the gentle buzzing of flies that had taken up there home among the dead. Rotting and left to bake in the heat of the Georgia summer sun I felt my stomach reeling as I kicked the door shut behind me.

"Oh God." I groaned as Daryl came around to my side with a chuckle.

"Figured you'd be used to it by now." I shook my head violently before dropping to my knees and lurching in the street.

"That's real lady like." I moaned as I wiped my mouth with the side of my hand. Enough was enough for one day. Daryl reached down and patted me on the back before helping me to my feet.

"You'll live." He chuckled as I began sucking in shallow breaths to avoid another incident as it were. Shakily and slowly I moved to the back of the truck and pulled my backpack from the bed, slinging it around my shoulder.

"Should I bring my bow?" I looked to Daryl as the rest of the group began their trek toward the CDC. He shook his head and motioned for me to follow, holding his hand out toward me as I approached him. I covered my mouth with my arm, as did most of the group as we passed the decaying mounds that lay scattered among the ground.

We got to the set of large double doors as the sun entered into its last few minutes of life. The group began to panic quietly as Rick pounded on the doors.

"There's nobody here." T-dog groaned after a few moments of silence.

"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick answered calmly, looking for any sign of life.

"Walkers!" I turned as Daryl barked. A man still dressed in his military wear shambled toward us and I took a step back as Daryl took aim. "He led us into a graveyard!"

"He made a call." Shane interjected, stepping in between the two as Daryl barreled toward Rick.

"Daryl don't!" I begged, but my cry fell on deaf ears.

"It was the wrong damn call!" He shouted just inches from Rick's face. Shane backed him down with a growl and a glare as the rest of the group huddled together, crying and hoping for a miracle before things went to hell.

"Where are we gonna go?" Carol cried.

"She's right, we can't be this close to the city after dark." They were beginning to panic and to be honest, so was I. I thought for a moment about the pistol I had stashed in my backpack, the one Daryl had tried time and time again to rip away from me. I thought about how long it would take me to grab it if the need arose, or how many bullets I had left in my gun. It wasn't until I started counting our numbers in relation to that that I realized that something in me had changed, and I didn't like it.

"Fort Benning, it's still an option." I stepped back as the group began to argue, my hand clasped tightly around the strap of my backpack.

"We'll think of something." Rick pleaded. Shane began moving us back, urging us to go back our cars but Rick held his ground, staring up at something the rest of us couldn't see. "The camera!" He lifted his hand to stop us. "It moved."

"You imagined it."

"No, it moved." I looked back to Daryl, to Shane to Lori before turning my eyes to Rick as he stepped toward the gate, his eyes locked on the camera still. He pounded on the door dispite Shanes attempts to stop him and for a moment I found myself hoping he was right.

"I know you're in there." He growled up at the camera. "I know you can hear me." He begged and pleaded as if talking to someone the rest of us simply couldn't see. "We have women and children, no food, hardly any gas left. Please help us." Daryl tugged on my arm, pulling me back toward the truck but I stood my ground, watching Rick as he cried.

"We have nowhere else to go, please." Shane hooked his arm around Rick's neck and Daryl gave my arm another hard tug nearly ripping me off of my feet.

"Come on."

"NO!" I shouted pulling away.

"YOU'RE KILLING US!" Rick cried as Shane pulled him from the gates. "YOU'RE KILLING US." The frantic cries of the group around us drowned out the sound of anything else in the world, even my own thoughts and my ears began to ring.

"Please open the door." I silently begged as Daryl reached out once again, tugging at my arm and this time I caught myself moving with his grip, my own feet had betrayed me. We had given up, our backs turned on salvation but somehow, somewhere some form of the divine had heard our calls and everything went silent as the gate lifted, offering us that which we had begged for.

After a few moments of silence we followed Rick inside the expansive and lavish building. Our guards high and our guns drawn we crept inside, thankful to be anywhere but outside as the sun finished it's decent behind us. I stayed behind Daryl and looked up to the glass ceiling above us, had the circumstances been different I would have enjoyed it more.

"Hello?" Guns were cocked as we readied ourselves for any given situation. "Anybody infected?" A shabbily dressed man came out from the shadows, rifle in hand.

"One of our group was." Rick sighed as he steadied his sights. "He didn't make it." The man nodded, giving a genuine look of sympathy before steadying his aim.

"Why are you here what do you want." He stepped closer to us and lowered his weapon.

"A chance."

"That's asking an aweful lot these days."

"I know." I looked to Daryl and everyone in between as we waited for this man, this stranger to bring down the gavel and seal our fate.

"You all submit to a blood test, that's the price of admission." Rick nodded and I found myself nodding along with him.

"We can do that." A sigh was shared among the group as the man strapped his weapon and ordered us to grab the remainder of our things. Without thinking or any hesitation at all we turned on our heels and piled out to grab what was left.

"You stay." Daryl stopped me as I put my foot onto the concrete outside. "I got it." I nodded and stepped back, wrapping my arms around myself and watching as he took off into the night.

….

The blood test was harder than I had originally anticipated. I never could stand the sight of blood and I hated needles even more but if that's what it took I was more than willing to put my prejudices aside. After Andrea had nearly fallen over from hunger and exhaustion, the man we had come to know as Jenner invited us to dinner, the best thing to happen to us in days.

There was more than enough food to go around and more than once too, something we had come to brush off as a luxury we would never again know. The group laughed and carried on as more than a few bottles of wine were passed around the table and to Daryl's excitement and luck a bottle of whiskey had been found and gifted to him.

I picked up my glass and moved to Daryl's side, pulling myself up on the counter next to him as he sipped at his bottle with a smile.

"All in all a good day." I toasted as the group erupted in loud peals of laughter.

"Not bad." He chuckled, clanking his bottle gently against the side of my glass. I never was one for wine but the release was what I was after and as I scanned the smiling faces around us I was happy to see that it wasn't just me enjoying the simple act of putting the day behind us. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I smirked, placing my glass down on the counter behind me. Daryl took a long drink and smiled over at me.

"Being a dick, blowing you off." He shrugged. Daryl stepped off the counter and placed his bottle down next to me before wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into him. "I feel like an asshole." He whispered as he brushed his nose against mine. I reached up, wrapping my arms around his neck as he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I don't know if it was the whiskey talking, and in that moment I didn't care. I didn't care that he was piss drunk, I didn't care that we were surrounded by people and I didn't care that we were lost in the middle of the apocalypse all I cared about was the feel of his hands as he held me tight, the gentle thumping of my still beating heart in my chest and the taste of whiskey on his lips as they moved gently against mine.

"Well now would you look at that." The group erupted into whoops and hollers, laughter and clapping as I pulled away from Daryl with a chuckled and buried my face into his chest.

"Don't let us stop you." Shane chuckled, bringing another round of laughter from the table. Daryl stepped away; leaving me exposed as he pulled himself up onto the counter next to me and took another drink. He looked over to me with a smile and a wink before diving into his bottle once again.

I watched as Dale poured drinks for the crowd and even tried to convince Lori to let Carl try a bit. After some arguing and finally a gently push from Rick she gave in and the room went silent. Carl lifted the glass to his lips and we all watched with a smile, knowing what would happen.

"EWWWWW!" He shook his head violently as the group erupted once again into laughter. "Yuck!"

"That's my boy." Lori smiled, pouring the meager amount into her glass.

"Just stick to soda pop there buddy."

"Not you Glenn." Daryl chuckled as he stepped down from the counter and leaned over the table.

"What?"

"Keep drinkin little man, I wanna see how red yer face can get." I snorted into my glass as Glenn looked around the table as if asking for help. There was no way a kid like him could out drink the tank that had challenged him.

Rick stood up, proposing a toast to Jenner which we all gladly raised our glasses too. He'd taken us in, fed us and provided us with the night we so sorely needed, there was more than just a little thanks needed for the things he had done. It wasn't long after than Shane insisted on knowing what had happened before we had gotten there, why Jenner was the only doctor left.

With a sad tone he told us a story of hopelessness and fear, something none of us wanted to know about and yet something we had known all along.

"You are such a buzz kill man." Glenn groaned as Jenner finished with his story. Silently we all agreed and there was no coming back from something like that. We finished our meals, our drinks in near silence and followed along as Jenner took us deeper into the ground and introduced us to the living quarters.

"The beds are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like." He pointed the kids toward the rec room as we peeked into each door, eager to see what else this place had to offer. "Same goes for anything that draws power and if you shower go easy on the hot water."

It didn't take long for us to share that look of knowing, it had been months without a shower and nothing sounded more beautiful, more magical than an actual bath that didn't involve dodging fish in an oversized pond.

Daryl gripped my arm and drug me into the nearest room quietly and I followed with a chuckle.

"Be a little more forceful why don't ya." I laughed as he kicked the door shut and pulled my backpack from my shoulder, tossing it into the corner and dropping his weapon to the ground.

"I can do that." I didn't even have time to laugh before he had me pinned, my back to the door as he kissed me violently, his hands digging into my hips as he pressed himself against me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and fell into him, loving every minute of it and yet at the same time wanting nothing more than to slip past him and into the bathroom.

"What's wrong?" He pulled away with a groan.

"Can I take a fifteen minute rain check?" I smirked as he buried his face into the side of my neck.

"Why?" My eyes rolled up as he growled against my skin.

"I really want a shower."

"It can wait." He argued and for a split second I was willing to consider the option.

"Can you smell me?" I smirked. Daryl shot up and looked at me with a grin.

"Do you think I care?"

"Regardless, I do." I smiled, planting a quick soft kiss to his lips. "You can shower with me." I watched his eyebrow raise as the gears in his mind began turning.

"Can I undress you?" He smirked, leaning in for another quick kiss. Without answering him I flashed him a smile and grabbed his hand, pushing him away from me gently and pulling him toward the back of the room. I didn't know what I wanted more, another night with Daryl or a long overdue bath but judging by the look in his eyes as I kicked open the bathroom door and pulled him inside I wasn't going to have to choose.


	23. Chapter 23

Daryl had me stripped and pressed against the back wall in a matter of seconds and I could feel my eyes rolling back as his hands slid franticly over every inch of my exposed body. It was painfully obvious that he was in no mood to wait and a part of me began to consider the option as he snaked his tongue across my throat.

I clawed as his back, gripping his shirt and pulling at it gently as he licked and nipped at the sensitive skin of my neck.

"Take it off." I whispered as he nibbled at my earlobe. Without a fight or a seconds hesitation Daryl pushed away from me and reached behind him, pulling the flannel fabric from his body and tossing it to the floor where it belonged. I chewed at my lip nervously as he hovered there, watching me with a devilish grin. "What?" I finally mustered the courage to ask as he licked his lips and smiled.

"Just admiring ya." He shrugged as he stepped back toward me, took my face in his hands and swallowed me in his kiss.

"Daryl!" I chuckled as I pulled away. He answered me with a growl and once again backed me against the wall as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I sighed heavily as my eyes rolled back and it took nearly everything I had to push him away once again. "Shower." Was all I could get out as he reached down to cup my breast. My plea for release ended in a soft moan as he tweaked my nipple in between his fingers. "You're not making this easy." I whispered as he replaced his fingers with the quick flick of his tongue.

"That's the idea." He growled as he moved to the other side. I tangled my fingers in his hair as he worked and I could feel the blood in my body rushing south as he pulled my shoulders toward him, taking as much of me into his mouth as he could. After a few moments Daryl stood with a sigh and planted one last kiss to the side of my neck before motioning toward the shower door. "Go on then if it's that important." He smirked.

I could feel his eyes locked on my figure as I reached inside to turn the silver nobs and reached up to test the water as it began to flow with a hiss. The water ran down the length of my arm in tiny rivulets warming my skin and sending a shiver of anticipation through me. I was brought back by the sound of Daryl's zipper falling and the soft thud of fabric as it hit the floor came soon after. A pair of hands scurried around my waist and a moment later he was pressed against me, no barrier between us. I couldn't help the urge to buck back against him gently and I chuckled as Daryl let out a throaty growl and dug his fingers into the fleshy mounds of my hips.

"Yer evil woman." He groaned against the crook of my neck.

"You love it." I chuckled softly. I led him into the shower and almost immediately cried out with joy as the water rushed over me; a sensation I had sorely missed. Daryl stayed on task, his hands and lips glued to my frame when other parts of his body were denied the chance. It was amazing I was even able to properly bathe with him standing behind me pressed up against me like a starving man waiting for his next meal.

I could feel him growing impatient as I washed a month's worth of grime and dirt from my hair and his groans of protest became worse as I forced him to take my place under the showers head.

"I'm fine." He snapped as I grabbed a bar of soap from the rack behind him.

"A little soap aint gonna kill you." I assured him as I began to rub it against his chest.

"Might."

"Probably won't." I countered with a smile. He gave in and closed his eyes as he tilted his head back and let the water wash over him with a grin. As much as he tried to deny it, it was obvious that he was enjoying it as much as I had. I made my rounds quick, knowing better than to make him wait longer than was necessary and as I reached behind him to end the showers gentle hiss I caught a look of gratefulness in his eyes.

"We done?" His eyebrow rose as I stepped out of the shower and motioned for him to follow. I nodded gently and no sooner than that did Daryl reach down and lift me into his arms with a soft growl. I chuckled and held on tight as he moved me to the other end of the tiny bathroom and laid me down on the counter with my back against the cold glass mirror. I chewed at my lip, my heart fluttered and my skin began to turn a lovely shade of pink as he gripped me behind the knees and coaxed my legs apart gently.

He stared down at me, his eyes filled with burning intensity as he reached up and touched my cheek with his fingertips. I saw a sort of curiosity in him as he trailed the length of my body, stopping each time I sucked in a sharp breath and watching me for a moment before continuing. It wasn't long before I forgot about the cold sheet of glass behind me and lost myself in his touch and soon after that the feel of his lips as they took over where his fingertips left off.

I reached down and tangled my fingers in his hair as he inched closer and closer to the part of me that ached the most. He hovered there for a moment, breathing hot against me as I silently begged for him and a soft whine escaped me as he turned his head and planted a gentle kiss to the inside of my thigh.

"You are evil…" I groaned as he continued with his torture; moving painfully close but not close enough to what I wanted, needed and craved at that very moment. He responded with a soft chuckle before flicking his tongue out to taste me and pulling a soft cry from my lips.

I ran my fingers through his hair as he moved, his pace painfully slow and tortuous as he matched his movements to the sound of my labored breath. I whispered his name, bucked against him gently and shook with each wave of electricity that ripped through me as he worked. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the cold sheet of glass behind me as I felt my own beautiful release building up inside of me. Daryl sensed this and picked up his pace, moving faster and faster with each frantic cry that escaped me and within a matter of seconds I found myself crying out the heavens and shaking underneath him.

Daryl gave me no time to breath as he lifted himself and grabbed my hips, guiding me to where he wanted me to be before burying himself inside of me with a soft whine. All sense of restraint left him as he began to rock back and forth leaving me at the mercy of an animal, one that had waited too long to be freed. I cried, shook and shivered underneath him as he drove into me wildly and the soft whines and groans that escaped him only seemed to add to my own pleasure.

They say that no one can ever live up to your fantasized ideal of them and that's why fantasy is just that but Daryl was beyond anything I could have imagined. For weeks I watched him, admired him and silently begged for him. For weeks I studied the way his body moved, the way his voice cracked when he whispered and the way my knees went week when my name rolled off of his lips but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine him holding this kind of power over me.

The night went on much the same way; moving from the tiny bathroom into the living room until finally collapsing side by side on a stretch of carpet near the couch, exhausted and blissfully spent. I lay on my side, watching his chest heave gently in the glow of the bathroom light behind us hoping that at least I could savor this moment for a few seconds longer before sleep finally decided to take its hold. I ran my fingers over his chest, paying special detail to the scars that littered him; I was curious but too shy to ask and in a way I think he knew this.

"I'll tell you about em." He whispered. "If you answer a question for me." He looked over at me with a smile. I thought for a moment before deciding that nothing he asked me could be too personal at this point and I was happy to answer any question he had. I nodded gently and draped my arm over his chest as I relaxed in his grip and rested my head against his arm. "Why do you put up with me?" I scoffed and sat up almost as soon as the question had escaped him.

"Put up with you?" I mocked. Daryl rolled onto his side and looked up at me expectantly. "Is that what you think I do?"

"I aint stupid Ali. I know I aint easy to live with and I know I piss you off more often than not." I smirked as he propped himself up.

"You can be a pain in the ass." I smiled. Daryl watched me with a curious gaze as I pulled my knees to my chest.

"So why do you do it?" I slid down next to him, propping my head up with my arm as I thought about his question.

"Because I like you." He smirked, his eyes looking everywhere but at me. "I thought you knew that." Daryl reached out and wrapped his arm around my waist, rolling me onto my back gently and staring down at me with a look that if I didn't know any better I would have thought was love.

"Why?"

"Why what?" I chuckled.

"Why do you like me?"

"I don't know, these things aren't exactly logical." Daryl smiled and leaned in to press his lips gently to mine.

"I know why I like you."

"Oh?" I smiled up at him as he nodded gently. "Why's that?" Daryl shrugged.

"Thought you said these things aint logical." He mocked.

"That's not fair."

"The hell it aint." He snapped back with a grin.

"Fine!" I rolled my eyes with a smile. "If I tell you will you spill?"

"Sure." He shrugged. "But I asked you first." I cursed myself for wanting to know what he had to say. I had nothing and I wasn't ashamed to admit it. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I thought back to the day we met and everything that had happened since. The way he cared for me, followed me and protected me and all without being asked to do so. The way he stood up for me against his own brother, went out of his way to not only find me the means to protect myself but to teach me how to wield it.

"The first thing I ever noticed about you was your eyes." A nervous laugh escaped him as he turned his gaze from me. "I was awake when you carried me out of that gas station," His eyes flicked back to me quickly. "I heard everything you said. Merle wanted you to just leave me there but you stood up for me." He nodded gently. "You've been like my guardian angel ever since." I adjusted myself underneath him, giving myself some more time to think before I continued. "You make me laugh, you've been with me through a lot of shit and I feel safe around you. All things considered, being a little mad at you from time to time is kind of worth it."

"But I don't want you to be mad at me." He whispered as he adjusted himself and hovered over me. "I want you to be happy."

"I am happy." I reached up and brushed away the wispy hairs that covered his eyes. His lips curled up at their edges sending a wave of butterflies through me.

"You make me forget."

"What?" I smirked as I looked up at him.

"That's why I like you. You make me forget."

"Forget what?" I asked as a thick cloud of confusion began to set in.

"Everything." He smiled. Daryl rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow. "I don't know Ali…" I could hear the nervousness in his voice as he looked down and cocked a shy smile. "When yer around it's like things are normal. The world aint fucked up, I aint fucked up… you know."

"You're not fucked up Daryl."

"Yeah I am." He scoffed. "I don't like people being close to me, I get pissed too easy and I scare people."

"Daryl…"

"No," He stopped me. "It's true, we both know it. Hell Ali if I could spend the rest of my life in the woods, alone I would." He sighed heavily, rolled onto his back and ran his hands over his face. "But when it's just you an me like it was in the woods or right now…" He shook his head and smiled over at me. "things are different. I don't care about walkers or Merle or anything else, just you." Daryl rolled onto his side and I watched him as he propped himself up once again. "You make me feel normal." I laughed lightly and nodded; I'd hoped he wouldn't take my reaction the wrong way and judging by the smile he gave me it was a safe bet to assume he didn't.

"Like white picket fence normal?" Daryl scoffed.

"Fuck that. Can you see me holdin a nine ta five with a house in the god damn suburbs?" I laughed as his eyebrow raised in question. "Nah." He shook his head. "Maybe more like a cabin in the woods." I blushed as he looked over at me. "I can hunt all I want," He reached over and snaked his hand around my hip, pulling me close. "You can come with me." He smiled. I fell into him and sighed as he pulled me into his kiss. I'd be lying if I said that the idea wasn't tempting but in a way it was equally as heartbreaking; the world being what it was, was something like that even possible?

"So are you gonna keep your promise?" I asked as he rolled onto his back and pulled me into him.

"What promise?"

"Your scars," I draped my arm over his stomach and nestled into him. "Are you gonna tell me about them now?"

"I'm tired." I could hear the smirk in his voice. "Tomorrow?" It was more of a question and I nodded. It took a long time for me to fall asleep, without a clock in the tiny room I wasn't sure how long I lay awake listening to the sounds of his soft snoring underneath me. I wanted so savor it, to live in that moment after all, with the world being what it was you never knew when things so simple could be taken away from you and as I lay there in the dark, my eyelids growing heavy and my body growing tired there was one thing I could not shake…

I'd had a bad feeling since we walked into this place and little did I know that my gut knew more than I gave it credit for.

**A/N – I'm sorry for the late update… lots of nasty things going on here but I think the storm is finally clearing. I do want to thank XPoppyX, Valerie E. Mackin and Leyshla Gisel for keeping me going with this story. So so many times I wanted to give up on it and I will admit it is a hard one for me to write but knowing that you like it and that you are waiting for my updates is what keeps me going so much MUCH love! **


	24. Chapter 24

I knew the CDC was bad news. I wasn't about to say a word to Rick or the others but deep down I knew and one thing I hate more than anything is being right about the wrong things. I wasn't there when Dr. Jenner had tried to convince everyone that death was the solution to all of our problems, I was separated from the rest by a thick slab of steel but that didn't stop Daryl from filling me in later that night.

We moved on and put Atlanta as far behind us as we could, given only a few days and as much as I, as we had hoped that things would get better it was starting to seem as if that was a request just barely too big to handle.

Sophia was the first to go, ran off into the woods after a herd of walkers moved through nearly taking us out in the process and everyone banded together as we always had and went off to look for her. Rick, Shane and I would still be looking too if it hadn't been for that dumb shit hunter but instead we were here, waiting with crossed fingers as Carl clung to life by barely a thread. Deep in the recesses of my mind I knew that the odds of a kid surviving a shot to the gut were slim but God owed us this one… at least this one.

After more than a few failed attempts at comforting Rick I grabbed my bag and my bow, told Shane not to worry and headed out toward the north woods that surrounded the old man's estate. I didn't know what I was headed out to find, if it was that I was looking for anything at all but I needed to be alone as dangerous as that was in these dark and dreary times.

I stumbled around quietly for a while before coming across a small clearing and a fallen tree. I had no idea if a round of target practice would ease any of the tension I felt but the sense of excitement that licked at my heels was almost too great to ignore. I let my bag slide off of my shoulder and land on the mossy ground with a soft thump before pulling my bow around and quickly knocking an arrow with quiet anticipation. I took aim, sucked in a sharp breath and centered my sights on a knot of wood slightly darker than the rest of the fallen log; the spot my arrow was destined to land.

My focus was interrupted with the sound of a soft gurgling growl from somewhere far away and I ducked down, searching the line of trees and bushes for any sign of movement. What I wouldn't have given for Daryl's razor like focus in that exact moment.

I could hear it; the soft growl that rolled up from its rotted chest, the shuffle of footsteps and the cracking of twigs and leaves as it moved but somehow the sound seemed to blend into everything else that the woods had to offer. It came from all directions and my heart pounded in my chest as I began to panic. It was a mistake to come out here, I hadn't even practiced on a walker yet and I had no backup.

"The hell are you doing?" My lips curled into a smile as his voice popped into my head. "You aint got time to panic, pay attention." I nodded, closed my eyes and focused on the sound of footsteps. "Where is it?" I listened for a moment but other than the sudden and sickening realization that the sound was moving closer nothing else came.

"I don't know." I whispered against gritted teeth. Now was not the time to panic and more than that now was definitely not the time to start with the water works.

"Don't give me that, try harder." I sucked back the feeling of dread and took a deep breath. In that moment the forest seemed to still and all I could hear was the shuffle of leaves as they were displaced. I shot up and pulled back my arrow, aiming to the right of where I stood.

A black figure moved against the shadow of the trees around it and I kept it in my sights as it growled and hissed at the air around it. I whistled sharply, pulling its attention toward me as I held my arrow steady and waited for it to turn toward me. Everything in me that was capable of rational thought knew that being noticed was the last thing I wanted to be but as the creature finally locked its eyes on me I had no choice but to resign to the fact that it was a little late for logic and safety. I sucked in against my teeth and held my arms steady as it began to shamble toward me.

My arm shook against the tension of my bow as it hissed and snapped at the air between us. With each step it moved closer and closer and with each step my fingers grew weak. I struggled to hold on as long as I could but my will seemed to be far greater than my strength. My aching fingers stung with sweet relief as they released the arrow and sent it whistling through the air and toward its target. I held my breath, my hand instinctively curled around the handle of the knife at my hip as I watched and waited to see where it would eventually land.

My lips curled into a smile and my heart jumped with excitement but as luck would have it the creature stumbled out of the arrows path just seconds before it hit. I pulled my knife from its sheath and lunged at the creature as it came at me with a deep guttural growl. I managed to slice its neck but not before it got a handful of my shirt, pulling me to the ground alongside it.

"SHIT!" I shrieked as it landed with a loud thud. The creature reached up with rotting fingers and pulled itself toward me and I kicked and thrashed as it snapped at the air between us. It slid over me and crawled up my body, pinning my legs to the damp ground and all I could do was wriggle and writhe under the weight of the rotted creature. I held it at bay, pressing into its chest as my free arm searched the ground around me for my knife, hoping that it had fallen nearby but knowing full well that the odds were not in my favor.

"_I don't want to die… I don't want to die… I don't want to fucking die_…" The words had become a mantra, repeating themselves over and over in my head as my arm began to buckle under the monsters weight and his face inched closer and closer to mine. I nearly cried out as my fingers stumbled across something; Cold, jagged and within reach? It wasn't my knife and I hadn't the slightest clue what it was but in that moment I wasn't about to be picky.

I struggled to grab it, wrapped my fingers around it and slammed it as hard as I could into the side of the creatures head, knocking it off of me and giving myself the chance to move out of reach.

I tossed the rock to the side and continued my search of the ground nearby. It had to be close; it couldn't have fallen far…

I looked back as the monster righted itself and came at me with a snarl; I was out of time and shit out of luck.

Something gleamed at me from underneath a small pile of wet, decaying leaves. I pushed them aside and with a smile I wrapped my fingers around the black strip of rubber, turned behind me and buried my blade to the hilt into what was left of the creature's brittle eye socket with a scream.

I fell on top of it, crying, cursing and shouting to the sky as I slashed, stabbed and hacked away at what was left of the monsters decayed and lifeless face. A slash for every friend I'd lost, for every sleepless night and every horror I was asked to face since this all began. One for my mother, one for my brother and one for me; there's only so much a girl can take. I growled and screamed as I worked out two months' worth of rage on the creatures face, feeling better with each strike and yet somehow still worse.

I hovered over him caked in blood, tired and spent as the waterworks began and my heart began to slow. I felt sorry for the man he used to be, for what happened to him and what I had done because of that. It shouldn't have come to this, not for him and not for anyone.

I don't know how long I sat there like that; staring into what was left of the face of death but as the sky began to darken around me it became increasingly more urgent that I gather my things and return to the farm. I didn't want to head back; to be honest I didn't want to go anywhere at all but camping out alone in the woods wasn't much of a survival plan these days.

I pulled my knife from the mess I had made and wiped it off on my pants before sheathing it and grabbing my bag and bow from the ground. I had enough arrows on me that going after the one I'd lost seemed like a waste of time so instead I turned on my heels, left the mess behind me and headed back toward the farm.

I stepped out of the woods well after dark and looked up at the towering Victorian farm house before me. I could hear Glenn talking to someone on the porch and as inviting as the idea of sleeping inside of an actual house was I couldn't bring myself to stumble up the front steps and walk inside. Instead I flashed him a nod and a wave to let him know I was safe before following a worn dirt path around the back of the house and into the field behind it.

A large oak tree sprouted out at the center of the pasture and despite the danger that came with the decision that is where I chose to lay my head. Daryl would have murdered me if he'd known and maybe I would have deserved it but it felt nice to lean back against the tree behind me, look up at the sky and admire the stars as if nothing had changed.

"WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?"

I woke with a start; my gun clenched firmly in my hands as the Georgia sun beat down on me without mercy.

"She said not to worry, I'm sure she's just fine." Ricks weak and tired voice filled the gap as I shoved my pistol into my bag and got to my feet.

"And you just let her go?"

"She can handle herself." Lori cut in as I shouldered my bag and made my way out of the pasture with a groan. I knew I was in for an ear full of it as soon as I made it into view. "Besides she didn't go unarmed."

"What do you know?" He growled and I smirked. I could hear the worry in his voice, the terror in his words. He would never admit it, even if I called him on it but he was scared for me. "She could be hurt, she could be dead." He barked. "And that's on you."

"Daryl I think you need to calm down just a bit here." Shane cut in.

"Man don't fuckin touch me." I picked up my pace and hopped over the pastures weather worn fence, hoping to get to them before things got out of hand.

"I get that you're worried and we can go look for her if you like…"

"No need!" I called as I rounded the corner of the house and moved into view. "I'm fine." I tried to ignore the worried gazes that stared back at me but some things were easier said than done, especially when you knew you had it coming.

"Where the hell have you been?" I stopped my stride and struggled to catch my breath as Daryl barreled toward me.

"I fell asleep in the pasture." I motioned behind me.

"OUTSIDE?" He boomed. "In the open?" I peered behind him long enough to wave off the crowd before turning my attention back to the very angry man before me.

"I know," I raised my hands in defeat. "Not one of my better choices."

"Are you hurt?" I shook my head and took a quick look down at my blood caked clothes.

"It's not mine." His eyes grew wide. "Had a run in with a walker," I motioned toward the woods next to us.

"Yeah?"

"Missed it with my bow but I got it with my knife." It was basically the truth. I didn't like lying to him but the last thing I wanted to see was his reaction to my near death experience. I was expecting a sermon, a lecture about the dangers of going off on my own but instead he reached out and pulled me into him with a heavy sigh. "You're not gonna yell at me for going out alone?"

"Maybe some other time." He whispered against the top of my head. "I'm just glad yer okay."

"I'm fine." I reassured him. It was not the reaction I was expecting and a part of me felt like I was going crazy. "Did you hear about Carl?" I asked as I stepped back. He nodded gently and motioned for me to follow him.

"Yeah but Rick says he's gonna pull through."

"I saw that Shane was back, so I guess that mean's he and Otis got what Hershel needed." Daryl stopped his stride and looked to me.

"Otis?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "He and Shane went out last night to get a few things." Daryl's eyes flicked to the ground and in an instant I knew what that meant. "Oh… Otis…."I looked up at Daryl as he shook his head.

"Buried him this morning."

"What happened?" Daryl looked past me and toward the house.

"Aint too sure." He shrugged. "Shane says walkers got him, said he barely made it out himself."

"So you didn't really bury him?" I asked with a sigh. Daryl looked down at me and shrugged.

"Can we talk about something a little less…."

"Gross?" He smirked.

"I was gonna say depressing but gross is good too." I followed at his side as we continued walking toward the bustling group. I searched the faces and moving bodies for a few moments before another realization came barreling toward me.

"Sophia?" I blurted out and looked up at him. Daryl lowered his eyes and shook his head.

"I thought we were gonna get away from depressing topics?"

"Sorry." I smirked.

"It's alright. We'll find her." He added hopefully.

"With your skills I'm sure we will." I caught the faintest hint of a blush cross his cheeks as he smiled down at me in response.

It wasn't long before I was pulled away to tend to the chores of the day while the boys tried to put together a plan of attack. With Shane injured and Rick weak there was only one left to scour the terrain in hopes of finding the little girl.

"You gonna be alright?" I asked as he finished counting his bolts before shouldering his crossbow.

"Aint I always?"

"Silly question I guess." I smirked.

"Nah." I caught a wave of butterflies as Daryl gripped the back of my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. It was almost strange how bold he was getting in front of the group but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. I caught Lori smiling over at us from the corner of my eye and it wasn't long after that a warmth began to creep across my cheeks.

"Be careful okay." I smiled as I backed away. He simply nodded and for me it was enough. I took my leave and went about helping the girls to set up camp and reestablish our place but no matter how busy we got or how strange things became I couldn't stop counting each minute that passed, each minute I prayed that he was okay.


	25. Chapter 25

As the day died down I made my way across the farthest pasture; stopping at the rusted and time worn fence to admire the line of trees that lay just beyond the boundaries of the farm. It was beautiful despite being untouchable and dangerous but I suppose a kind of beauty could be found even in the depths of Hell. I leaned over the fence and listened as the birds called back and forth to each other and the crickets began their song; it was almost enough to make me forget but somewhere just behind it came the twisted snarl of a shambling reminder and I was pulled back down from the fantasy I enjoyed.

I jumped slightly as a pair of hands slid around my eyes. I hadn't even heard his footsteps but he was here and he was safe; the details didn't matter.

"Are you gonna make me guess?" I smirked as I reached up to trace his hand with my fingertips.

"Maybe."

"Let me think…" I smiled as he pressed himself against me. "Shane?" He tensed up and a huff escaped him as he dropped his hands and stepped away.

"Shane?" The laugh I had been holding back escaped me as I turned toward him. "Shane?" He repeated and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Apparently I was wrong." I shrugged and leaned back against the fence behind us.

"Apparently?" He chuckled.

"Honest mistake." I shrugged as I pushed away from the fence and stood in front of him.

"Bullshit." I scoffed and he rolled his eyes at me.

"Such harsh language in front of a lady." I spoke with as thick of a Georgia accent as I could muster. Daryl laughed loudly as he grabbed my sides and pulled me into him. Somewhere in our altercation I lost my footing and tumbled forward, taking him with me and landing against the ground with a thud.

"You ain't no southern bell." He chuckled as he rolled me onto my back. "And don't go screaming like that. Don't need everyone ta come running fer Christ's sakes."

"You're in an awfully good mood." I mused as he adjusted himself over me.

"Suppose I got good reason to be." He shot me a crooked smile.

"Wait," My eyes lit up. "Did you…"He cut me off with the shake of his head. For a moment I had hoped but somehow his coming back empty handed didn't seem to dampen his spirits.

"Picked up her trail though." My eyes lit up.

"Where?"

"Farm house a few miles out. I'll find her tomorrow." His confidence was contagious and I caught myself reveling in a shared sense of excitement.

"Does Carol know?" He nodded gently before rolling onto his back and stretching himself out next to me.

"I went to see her before I found you."

"She's been cooped up in that camper all day." I sighed and turned my eyes to the darkening sky above us.

"Do ya blame her?" I shrugged and clasped my hands over my stomach.

"No I suppose not." I closed my eyes and let the thought melt away; since peace and tranquility seemed to be a thing of the past the only thing left to do was to carve these moments out of the chaos that surrounded us and that's just what I did as I listened to the crickets as they sang from the boundaries of the woods around us. It felt nice laying their next to him, hearing his breath as I wiggled my toes in the air. A moment of normalcy in an otherwise strange world.

I sucked in a sharp breath and the next thing I knew I was returning a soft and slow kiss that I was not prepared for. I hadn't heard him move or felt his presence as he knelt over me and yet there we were, locked at the lips while the world just kept on spinning without us. I can go on and on about the rush that washes over me when any part of me connects with any part of him but I don't think words quite do it justice. I don't have wings so I cannot possible know what it feels like to fly and yet somehow this is the only thought that comes to my mind as he reaches up and laces his fingers with mine.

My heart skipped a beat as he tilted his head to the side and opened his mouth against mine, the stubble of his chin brushing roughly against my skin as his lips moved slowly, tasting as much of me as he can. I whimpered as he pulled away and looked up at him with a crooked smile.

"What was that for?"

"Do I gotta have a reason for everything?" He sneered as he sat up on his knees.

"Yes." I smiled playfully and sat up to join him.

"Well tough shit I aint got one." He shot me a cockeyed smile before climbing to his feet and offering me his hand. I took it graciously and despite his attempt at helping me balance I fell into his chest with a groan.

"Hey what's up with you?" He whispered as he helped me regain my footing. "That's the second time now."

"I'm just dizzy." I sighed as I rubbed at my head. Truth was I had been fighting a headache for the past few days and I couldn't remember the last time I had more than a few bites for a meal. I was starving and it was getting harder and harder to hide its effects as the days went on.

"When was the last time you ate?" His eyes were filled with worry as he held my shoulders and looked down at me. I shrugged.

"I had a peach earlier."

"And before that?" I had nothing but a shrug to offer and the groan that escaped him didn't bode well for me. "Come on let's get somethin in you." I leaned against him as we walked back to the camp but instead of sitting at the fire with the rest of them I said my goodnights and slipped away into the tent that Daryl and I shared. I barely had the chance to slip into my pajamas before he came in with a plate of Jerky and eggs. It didn't sound like much but to my desperate stomach it was a feast and my mouth began to water before he even had the chance to hand it to me.

"What about you?" I asked as I sat it down on the sleeping bag in front of me.

"Nah I aint hungry."

"You sure?" I eyed him sternly as I nibbled on a piece of jerky. With a smile and a sigh he reached down and grabbed a piece for himself. I watched as he held it in between his teeth as he undid his belt and kicked off his shoes. I still had yet to figure out why it was that everything he did drove me crazy. Was it teenage hormones or something deeper? I smiled as I decided that more observation was in order.

"What are you starin at?" He smirked as he sat down beside me and fell onto his back. He turned his eyes back to me and began to rip at the strip of meat he had been holding.

"Why do you keep asking me that when you already know the answer?" He shrugged.

"Guess I aint used to it is all." He turned his eyes back to the ceiling and continued to work on his meager meal. I harfed down my eggs in just three bites and handed the last bit of my jerky over to him only to watch him place the nearly empty plate in the corner. It had been so long since I'd had a substantial meal that it really didn't take much to fill me up these days and I still hadn't decided if that was good or bad. For now it just seemed to make it easier to keep the headaches at bay.

"Can I ask you something?" His eyebrow rose as I slid in close to him and draped my arm over his stomach. "Does it ever bother you that I'm so much younger than you?" I felt him shake underneath me as he smirked.

"Never really thought about it to be honest."

"Never?" I asked as I pulled myself up and rested my weight on my elbow.

"Nope. Why does it bother you?" I laid back down and smiled up at him nervously.

"Sometimes I think about what it would have been like if we'd…." I played with my fingers and smirked as he positioned himself over me.

"If we'd met before all this?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "Like if we'd still be where we are."

"Honestly," He rolled onto his back and I moved back into my position next to him and nestled gently into his side. "I hate to say it but we probably never would have met."

"What makes you so sure."

"First time I ever been this far away from home." He smirked. "I never even knew yer little town existed."

"Where did you come from?" I could almost hear him thinking as I draped my arm over his stomach and waited.

"The middle of nowhere."

"No really."

"Really." He pulled me tight against him and rubbed at my back gently as I closed my eyes. "I meant it when I said I was born on a dirty kitchen floor in a shack in the woods."

"Did you have any friends?"

"Sure I guess."

"Do you still know any of em, I mean before the outbreak."

"You ask a lot of questions." He smirked.

"I still don't know a lot about you." He sighed heavily and I held my breath, hoping upon hope that he finally felt like sharing something with me.

"My dad was a mean son of a bitch," He began. "My mom wasn't much better and Merle…. Well he was just Merle if that makes any sense." In a way I understood but rather than speak I decided to simply just listen. "After they had me my daddy got a promotion or something and we moved into a bigger house a little closer to town. It was still a piece of shit though." He smirked. "Shared a room with Merle and a couple dozen rats, barely had a pot to piss in and the roof leaked like a bastard, probably why he got it so cheap." I smiled against his chest and began to play with one of the buttons on his shirt absently as he continued.

"My mom, she died when I was about nine or ten, I can't really remember but after that we moved back into the woods. Merle went to Juvy and I did the best I could ta stay busy. Taught myself how ta hunt and kept quiet until Merle came back."

"What about your scars?"

"What about em?" His body tensed against mine and I silently hoped I hadn't asked just the wrong question. I swallowed hard and thought about my words as carefully as I could.

"How did you get them?" I asked meekly. Daryl sighed, his grip on me loosened as I waited quietly for some semblance of an answer or failing that a very polite go to hell gesture on his part.

"Told you my dad was an asshole."

"Did he always…."

"No." He cut me off sharply. "No," He repeated, softer this time. "He was rough with Merle an me growin up." He sighed and I closed my eyes, holding him tightly as he continued. "Didn't get bad till after mom died. She might 'ave been a drunk but at least she kept him from loosin his shit fer the most part." I didn't press him any farther, he'd already said more in just one night than he had in the entire time we had known each other and the last thing I wanted to do was to make him feel like it wasn't enough. It was more than enough and I'd hoped that my gently squeeze on his side was enough to show him that I was grateful to be let into his world.

It didn't take long for me to fall into sleep; a few thoughtless minutes had passed before I was alive in a dream so dull I had nearly mistaken it for reality. I was in school, my history teacher spoke at the front of the class but I couldn't make out a word that was said. He pointed to the chalkboard but nothing was written on it so instead I turned my eyes to the row of windows that lined the farthest wall.

Where I'd expected to see the schools parking lot I instead saw a playground. Fenced in a filled with smiling children as a large woman with red curly hair blew a whistle to signal the end of recess. I watched as they all filed into the brick building in front of them with sad faces and slumped shoulders. I couldn't hide the laugh that escaped me as I thought about the last time I made that very same face.

As the doors slammed shut my eye caught the slight movements of a little girl in a white dress as she came out from her hiding place inside a covered slide. She brushed herself off and took a quick look around before skipping over to the row of swings and taking a seat with a smile. The playground was all hers for as long as she wanted, her kingdom rightfully restored.

Before I saw it I swear I felt it; something sinister moving into view. My eyes followed the shadow as it moved behind the jungle gym and just out of view. I stood up on my chair, watching as closely as I could as the little girl continued her play without any sense that something was very very wrong.

"Miss Pasternak please take your seat!" The first words I had heard him utter since I entered his little world. The creature moved out from its hiding place, ready to go for the kill. I jumped from my chair and ran to the window, shouting and screaming.

"RUN!" I pounded on the glass but she didn't seem to hear me. The monster inched closer, its rotted and bloodied fingers reaching out for her. She dug her heels into the sand and looked up with a complacent smile. "NO!" I pounded on the glass so hard I felt it buckle under the force and for a moment I was sure it would shatter. Horrified and helpless I watched as the creature came down on her, sinking its teeth into her outstretched wrist before tackling her to the ground and sending a spray of blood over the sand and finishing the job.

"MISS PASTERNAK I SAID SIT DOWN!" I felt his hand on my arm as I cried out in horror. He spun me toward him but instead of my eyes meeting Mr. Finch I was face to face with a screaming writhing horde. Their fingers clawing at me, their teeth biting at the air as I was pulled into them kicking and screaming.


	26. Chapter 26

By the time I woke Daryl was already gone and most of the day's work had already been done leaving me mortified and more than just a little embarrassed despite Lori's assurance that everything was alright. I spent most of the afternoons skipping around camp desperate for something to do and it wasn't until I found Andrea perched on top of the R.V that I finally gave up and slumped down next to the patio chair she sat on.

"Rough day?" She smiled as she took a quick look through the scope of her rifle.

"Bored." I shrugged. "There's nothing for me to help with, the boys are already gone and I feel like a lazy ass for sleeping in so late." She chuckled lightly and placed the gun down at her feet.

"I can't say I blame you."

"What? For feeling like a lazy ass?"

"No." She smirked. "For sleeping in. How long have you been having those nightmares anyway?" My face twisted into what I imagined to be a deep shade of red before I dropped it into my palms with a groan."

"PLEASE don't tell me I was screaming in my sleep again."

"Again?" A slight smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. She kept her eyes steady and focused on the thick line of trees that surrounded us as I groaned. "I wasn't aware that you made a habit of that sort of thing." I sighed.

"I don't." I played with my fingers absently as I watched the thick edge of the woods for any sign of movement, animal or otherwise. "I used to do it every night." I felt her attention turn to me. "It had stopped by the time we got to the camp but the nightmares never left." She uttered a sound of approval and I watched as she nodded gently.

"I hate to say I don't think they ever will…"

"But you're right." We turned our attention back to the horizon without a word. A heavy silence fell over us and I hated myself in that moment for admitting she was right. But what else was there for me to do? I picked up a stray piece of straw from in front of my sneaker and twirled it in my fingertips.

"Daryl says I kick like a mule when I have them." I chuckled lightly. My attempt to lighten the mood.

"Yeah I've wanted to ask you about that." She chuckled and leaned back in her chair.

"About what?"

"You and Daryl." I felt a rush of nervousness wash over me as I waited for the barrage of questions I somehow knew she must have been holding back.

"What do you want to know?" I asked quietly, avoiding her gaze. She crossed her arms over her chest and I could see the gears twisting and turning as she thought about my question.

"I don't know," She began. "I guess I just can't imagine someone like him being the boyfriend type." I thought about it for a moment, memories of our less than humble beginnings flooded my mind and brought a chuckle to my lips. "Not to mention the age difference, you're what…. Nineteen? Twenty?"

"Eighteen." I corrected her. "Does that really matter?"

"I guess it doesn't anymore does it."

"He's not really." I spoke quietly in an attempt to change the subject.

"What's that?"

"The boyfriend type." I added.

"Oh. Then why are you with him?" I smiled shyly.

"We have fun together."

"Is that right?" She chuckled and I nodded.

"We get along really well and he can be incredibly sweet when he wants to be."

"Oh yeah? How so?" She challenged me.

"He helped me look for my brother, He defended me against Merle."

"Really?" She shot back quickly.

"That surprises you?"

"Well yeah," I couldn't help but chuckle along with her. "I thought nothing came before his brother."

"Nothing but me I suppose." I answered quietly. She nodded approvingly and turned her eyes back to the farms border.

"Anything else?" I thought for a moment before settling on a shrug.

"Well there haven't really big any sweeping gestures of romance if that's what you mean." The turned her eyes back to me, her smile and approval holding steady as I thought about what else to say. "Look he may not be the flowers and chocolates type and I know it seems kind of weird but he has his own kind of charm and we've been through a lot together…"

"Whoa hun, slow down there." She laughed lightly. "You don't need to defend yourself to me. I'm glad you have someone." Her smile weakened for a moment and it didn't take words to know that the memory of Amy was a shared one. "Besides …" She took her eyes off of me and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know how many guys I've dated that my dad would have killed me for had he met them." She laughed lightly and shook her head. "But they were good men, deep down." She stared off at the horizon once again and sucked in a sharp breath.

"That's Daryl." I pulled her attention from the trees that surrounded us. "No one asked him to go out there and look for Sophia but he's doing it." She nodded gently. "No one asks him to go hunting or even bring us back anything he does catch but he does."

"Do you love him?" My stomach twisted as the words left her lips and I looked up at her in nervous horror. I'd honestly never given much thought to the question at hand; we were our own thing and in a way I was terrified that labeling it would change things in a way we could never repair. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Sorry." I smirked. "I …I don't really know what to say."

"It's okay if you don't know." I shook my head. I couldn't imagine life without him, I couldn't imagine not knowing him and it drove me crazy knowing he was out there and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to help him if things went wrong.

"I guess I've gotten comfortable."

"How so?" She asked quietly.

"I've gotten so used to him being here that I haven't really thought about what would happen if he just didn't come back one day." I stopped and watched the trees moving gently in the breeze and forced myself to calm down, after all it was only a thought. "I don't like it." Andrea chuckled gently.

"You don't like it?"

"I can't stand it." And I couldn't help the smile that escaped me. "Just thinking about it makes me miss him and it doesn't help that I didn't get to say goodbye this morning." If I didn't find my train of thought so utterly ridiculous myself I would have been offended at the soft laughter that echoed up from her chest.

"What?" I chuckled.

"That's love sweetheart."

"You think so?" She nodded.

"It's different for everyone but I'm pretty sure that's a universal sign."

"Hey Ari." Her words didn't have a chance to sink in before we were interrupted and I looked down over the R.V's edge to see Lori standing there with a hand on her hip and a smile on her face. "You still wanna lend a hand?"

"Sure." I stood and stretched out my back with a loud sigh. "What's up?"

"Were making dinner for Hershel and his family, thought you might like to help." I turned back to Andrea.

"Do you mind?" She shook her head with a smile.

"I think I can manage." I left her with a nod and made my way to the small ladder at the other end of the R.V. "Oh hey," I turned back before taking my first step down.

"Yeah?"

"Don't…" She stammered for a moment before sucking in a sharp breath and smiling over at me. "Don't pass up the chance to tell him."

"Tell him what?" I knew what she was referring to but I reveled in my naivety sometimes. The feelings were there, they had always been there but I wasn't ready to admit it. Saying it out loud made it real and as Andrea tossed me a soft shrug and a nod I got the feeling that she understood more than she let on. She passed me a knowing glance and I was grateful for her silence as I returned the gesture and climbed down the ladder ready and eager to put the conversation behind me and save it for another day.

The girls had managed to pull together a feast and as I stepped into the kitchen I looked around in amazement and confusion.

"Where did all this come from?"

"Maggie and Beth provided the food," Carol chirped as she scrapped a plate of chopped onions into an oversized metal pot. "We just get the honor of cooking it."

"It's an honor is it?" I moved toward the counter and began shucking the few ears of corn that sat neglected in a large plastic bowl.

"Well yeah." I looked over as she made quick work of slicing the bunch of carrots that lay next to her. "Don't tell me you never enjoyed cooking."

"No I did." I laughed lightly. "I loved helping my mom in the kitchen when I was little."

"You know I think every little girl does." Lori huffed as she pounded a hunk of bread down into submission on the kitchens tiny island behind me. "But Carl, now he took to helping me as soon as he was able to stand on his own two feet." She chuckled and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her arm. "Eggs are his favorite." She smiled. "Well, were until Rick taught him how to make pancakes."

"Sophia loves pancakes." Carol added with a soft, forced smile. "I was never allowed to make em if she wasn't under my feet." The room went quiet as we offered up a silent prayer for her safe return. I finished with the corn and wiped my hands on my jeans before stepping back and allowing the girls to continue their work in fluid motion. Not a word was spoken between them and yet somehow they each knew exactly where to be and when to be there without issue making the simple act of cooking seem so elegant, so poetic in its own way.

I tried to ignore the sounds of Maggie and Hershel arguing in the room behind me but some things are easier said than done.

"I'm a little old for us to be having this conversation." She hissed as I watched the girls silently.

"All I'm saying is just don't get too attached."

"You alright over there?" Lori asked without looking up from the bowl of half peeled potatoes in front of her.

"Yeah…"I shook myself out of it. "Need a hand?"

I left the girls as they made their finishing touches and took to helping Maggie set the dinner table. It was silent between us aside from the occasional thank you and I appreciated that after the barrage of questions I had already answered. A girl could only take so much in one day.

I glanced out the window as I laid out the silverware and my stomach began to tie itself in knots as I realized just how dark it was getting outside. It wasn't pitch yet, hardly even dusk but there were no heavy footsteps on the porch, no crossbow propped up in the corner and no news on Sophia. I laid out the spoons, the forks and the knives with a heavy sigh, each second growing longer, heavier with each clink of the silver and shuffle of my feet.

Was that a gun shot? I wondered and looked up from my task. It couldn't have been, but then what? It wasn't until I saw the girls running toward the front door and heard the sound of Rick screaming in the distance that nearly leapt over the table and pushed my way past the crowd.

"NOOOO!" I stepped out onto the porch and without thinking jumped over the steps, landing on the dusty ground.

"Oh MY GOD, Is he okay?" I heard Andrea sobbing somewhere far away. I searched the pasture in a panic. Where are they? Why couldn't I see them? It wasn't until I saw their figures racing up the hill that my eyes finally adjusted and horror truly set in. Rick and Shane struggled toward us, a limp and disheveled Daryl in their arms, blood dripping from his head and covering his chest.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" I shrieked but the boys pushed past me without a work, his feet trailing a line in the dirt behind them.

"I thought he was a walker."

"YOU WHAT?" I growled and lashed out and her without even thinking.

"I'm so sorry." I stared her down for a moment before racing past the others and into the house. I took the stairs two at a time and followed the sound of raised voices into one of the spare bedrooms.

"You really shouldn't be in here." Shane moved toward me as Hershel and Rick struggled to get Daryl's shirt off.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Ari, I'm telling you to go downstairs."

"And I'm telling you there's not a chance in hell I'm leaving."

"Just leave it Shane we need your help." Rick called from behind us. I slipped into a chair at the far end of the room and watched as the boys turned him every which way looking for God knows what and I prayed harder than I'd ever prayed before that they didn't find it.

"Don't look like he's bit." The statement wasn't for me but Shane looked up and offered me a nod as the words left his lips. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's got a puncture wound on his side, it's clean but he'll need stitches." Hershel added quietly. "Same with the gash on his head."

"Think he'll be okay Doc?"

"Should be," Hershel nodded as he continued to survey the damage. "He's lucky."

"What happened to him out there?" It was everything I had not to cry as I looked him over. The boys shrugged and before I had a chance to register what was happening the room came to life with the sound of shouts and protests from the bed.

"GET THE HELL OFF ME!"

"Daryl calm down…"Rick tried to reason.

"I SAID LET GO!"

"We're trying to help you."

"Help me? You shot me you son of a bitch. I was fucking joking."

"No man." Shane laughed lightly. "Andrea got to ya before we got the chance." Rick covered his mouth to stifle a laugh and a smile tugged at the edges of Daryl's lips. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "It was an accident." He added sternly and watched Daryl for a sign of understanding before turning his eyes to me. "He's alright." I smirked. Daryl whipped around to face me. "You can go on downstairs now; we got some things to discuss."

I smiled over at him, a wave of relief washed over me as he returned the gesture before turning his eyes back to the boys.

It wasn't long after that the dinner bell rang but I didn't feel like eating and I felt even less like socializing. Instead I took up residence in a little brown chair just outside the bedroom door and waited. For what exactly I didn't know but when it was time I would be ready. I think what I really needed was to talk to him and despite Lori and Carol's urgings to join them I politely shook my head and said no thanks.

"Are you sure hun? You should eat."

"Save me a plate." I smiled up at Carol.

"Okay." She had such a sweet way about her and it put me at ease as she patted my hand gently and led Lori downstairs. Hershel followed me soon after, his eyes locked on me in question as he slowly made his way down the hallway and not long after came Rick and Shane locked in private discussion.

"He's all yours." Rick nodded as he passed me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks." I waited until they were halfway down the stairs and out of sight before I slid into the room quietly and closed the door behind me.

The room was dark, lit only by a single soft light on the bed stand. His back was turned to me, I wasn't even sure he had heard me come in and I tried my best to ignore the thick web of scars that lined his back as I stepped around to the foot of the bed.

"How are you feeling." I asked softly.

"Like shit on a summer day." He smirked.

"That's charming."

"Yeah well I got stitches in me, I think I got the right to be whatever I want."

"What happened out there?" I moved to the side of the bed and took a seat facing him.

"I got thrown." He cleared his throat. "Horse tossed me down the ravine and I landed on an arrow." I winced as he pointed to his side.

"Oh my God."

"Don't worry, Doc says I'll be fine."

"I hope he's right."

"I know he is." He smiled up and motioned for me to join him. I slid in next to him, careful to mind the bandages around his side as I nestled into him. I closed my eyes and breathed him in, the smell of dirt and sweat came off of him in waves and in that moment it was the sweetest smell there ever was or could be. I felt his arm drape around me, falling heavy across my side and I looked up into his tired eyes.

"Thank you." He spoke in barely more than a whisper.

"For what?" I shot back with a soft laugh. "I haven't seen you all day."

"You got me home." I waited quietly for him to go on, if there was any more to say. "I got attacked by two walkers, stabbed myself and nearly died out there." I didn't like hearing it, I didn't want to hear it and more than that I didn't want the sudden onslaught of tears that threatened to break free like water from a flood gate. "I don't know that I would have made it back if it weren't for you." I smiled and chewed at my lip as I ran a hand down the side of his dirty and blood stained face.

"Daryl I…." My words were broken by the sound of soft knocking at the bedroom door. Carol slipped in with a tray and silently placed it on the table beside the bed.

"I brought you some food." He looked back and pulled the sheets up around his battered frame. "You must be starving." She nodded at me before stepping toward the door once again. "You need to know something," She stopped herself and turned to face him. "You did more for my little girl today then her own daddy ever did in her whole life." I watched as he wrestled with what to make of her words.

"Wasn't nothing Shane or Rick wouldn't have done."

"I know." She smiled. "You're every bit as good as them. Every bit." She stepped out with a smile and closed the door gently behind her.

"Have you eaten?" I shook my head. Daryl reached over and grabbed the tray from the nightstand gently and slowly placed it between us. "Eat."

"You should eat too."

"I will when I don't feel so much like dying." He chuckled before motioning me toward the tray between us. I pulled a small chunk of bread free and nibbled at the edge as he watched me.

"Why do you always insist I eat first?" He grabbed a chunk of bread for himself and dunked it in the soup that sat steaming in the middle of the tray.

"Do I?"

"Don't act like you don't realize you do it." He chuckled.

"It's my job." He shrugged before popping another chunk of bread into his mouth.

"Your job?" I smiled.

"Taking care of you." A blush warmed my cheeks and I found myself giggling under the weight of his stare.

"It's not your job."

"It's not that I think you need it," He sighed and moved the tray back to the nightstand slowly. "It just seems like the right thing to do you know." I thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah I guess that make sense."

"Same reason you sat out in the hallway instead of goin downstairs like you should have." I grinned.

"How did you know?"

"I ain't stupid." He smiled. He pulled the sheets up around us and I nestled into him, careful to mind his stitches but not so careful that I didn't take advantage of the body left exposed to me. I ran my fingers along the side of his neck, his jaw and finally along his cheek before planting a soft and much-needed kiss to his lips. He pulled me as tight as he could and returned my kiss with as much fire as he could muster before moving his lips to my forehead and coming to rest against me.

"What were you gonna say?"

"When?" I asked confused.

"Before Carol came in, you were gonna say something." I juggled with the pro's and con's the should I or should I not debate before falling on the decision to stall as much as possible.

"I just…. I wanted to…" I stammered and made a fool of myself before giving up with a sigh. "It's not important." Even in the darkness I could see the blue sparkling in his eyes as he watched me.

"Are you sure?" Somehow without my knowing it my fingers found their way above the sheet and I caught myself tracing the line of his jaw with my fingertips.

"I was talking with Andrea today and she got me thinking." He grabbed my hand and placed a quick kiss to my palm before releasing me.

"About what."

"About us." I heard him suck in a sharp breath.

"Yeah?"

"She was asking a bunch of questions and I started thinking, a lot." I smirked. The room went quiet, almost deafeningly so as he waited for me to continue. I chewed at my lip and let out a nervous chuckle. "I just… I realized something."

"Did it have anything to do with her shooting me?" I laughed loudly.

"No, I swear." I took a moment to catch my breath and calm my nerves. It didn't do any good but at least I tried. I closed my eyes. "I realized that I don't like it when you're not here, I don't like worrying about you and I don't like not knowing when you leave if you're ever going to come back to me." I took a deep breath and pulled him into a kiss, my fingers wrapped around the back of his neck as he returned my embrace gently and eagerly. "I realized," I whispered as I pulled away.

"Yeah?" I wasn't sure if he genuinely didn't know where this was going or if he was just faking confusion for my benefit. Either way it sounded genuine.

"I realized that I love you." He went still, his hand rested at my hip, his breath steady and his eyes searching mine.

"You…."

"I love you." I repeated happily and I smiled. He reached up and brushed my hair away from my cheek before pressing his lips to mine softly, slowly and with a kind of reluctance.

"Aint no one…." He began as he pulled away. "Aint no one ever said that to me before."

"No one?"

"Well, except maybe Merle on occasion." I honestly couldn't picture the words coming anywhere near the man let alone from him. "You really love me?" My heart fluttered as the word escaped his lips. It didn't have to be directed at me, just hearing him say it was enough to make me stomach jump.

"Yes." Even in the dark our eyes locked together and I could feel him smiling down at me.

"I guess…" He stammered. "I mean… well…." I chuckled nervously as he struggled with the words. "I love you too." He barely finished speaking before I wrapped my arm around his neck and pulled him into an excited and happy kiss.

"Whoa…" He hissed and pushed me away as gently as he could. "Watch out I got stitches." I chuckled and traced the side of his face slowly.

"I'm sorry." His arm slipped around me and he pulled me tight before returning my kiss with a much gentler approach then I had given him.

**A/N: ****Okay so I feel I owe you something of an explanation. First of all I hope you all like this chapter. I took my time and made it as lengthy as I could and I would like to end Damaged here for the time being (Maybe) we shall see. I recently acquired this newfangled thing called a day job and have found myself with much more money but very little time to do much these days. I am slowly learning to juggle writing with work so hopefully I can make a better go of keeping up with my stories. **

**A HUGE thank you to everyone that has been reading this story. I hope you have enjoyed it, I'm sorry I have t put it on hiatus but it means so much to me that you have followed me all the way here. **

**Much love! **

**XOXO **

**Penelope**


	27. Chapter 27

You never really appreciate the sounds of everyday life until they're no longer there, until the world around you falls quiet and your left with nothing other than the suffocating sound of silence. It was strange not hearing cars on the road, no distant tires skidding across the pavement or children laughing in the streets. Entire families gone, entire histories and lives wipe out in a matter of days and there was nothing left to show for it except for the shambling remains of those who once lived. It was hard to think that there was a chance things would return to normal, it was hard to hold out hope in a world that would even closely resemble what we once had… a sad thought left to linger in the shadow of what once was.

It was my idea to go into town but it was his idea or rather persistence to follow me. I wasn't opposed to the idea hell I was honestly excited at the thought of a day to ourselves but I couldn't show it, not too eagerly anyway.

"So what did you do before all this?" I asked as I pulled myself up on the gas stations tiny front counter, satisfied that the place was clean and walker free. He shuffled through what was left on the stores nearly bare shelves and shrugged.

"Nothin to speak of."

"There had to be something." I added absently. "A job? Girlfriend maybe." Daryl looked up at me with a smirk.

"No."

"No job?"

"No girlfriend." He chuckled before going back to the task at hand. Satisfied and a little embarrassed at my lack of subtlety I kicked my legs over the back of the counter and began searching through the drawers and cubby's that held no promise of hidden treasure. "I did have a job though."

"Oh yeah?" I flipped over an empty carton of cigarettes and sighed. "Doing what?"

"I worked in a garage, fixing cars that kind of thing."

"Why does that not surprise me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I looked up as the sound of scavenging stopped and I saw him staring at me with a twisted grin.

"Nothing." I laughed. "Just that you look like the kind of guy who would work on cars or construction or something."

"That a bad thing?" His grin faded and almost immediately I saw an opportunity just begging to be taken. I leaned over the counter and offered a wink.

"No, it's kind of sexy actually." His cheeks went flush and he turned his face from me with a huff.

"So… Umm…. What about you?" He cleared his throat as I went back to work with a chuckle. It was so easy to push his buttons and it never ceased to amaze me just how many shades of red that man could turn.

"What about me?"

"Did you have a job? A boyfriend?" He mocked. I pocketed a few packs of cigarettes and slid over the counter to continue my search elsewhere.

"I worked fast food for a while but I quit well before all this happened."

"Yeah why's that?" I shrugged as I flipped through a stack of old magazines left forgotten on a wire rack near the counter.

"I didn't like it that much. Besides I had the whole world ahead of me." I rolled my eyes and dropped the magazine back into place.

"You still do." He sighed as he slid his arms around my waist. I closed my eyes and smiled.

"Maybe in a way, but I'm pretty sure going to college and raising a family are out of the question now." I looked down at his hands, fingers laced over my stomach as he placed a kiss at the base of my neck.

"Can't say much for the college thing," He whispered. "But you can still make a life fer yerself." I turned to face him, resting my arms across his shoulders as he looked down at me.

"Do you think things will ever get better?" I could see in his eyes that he didn't quite know how to answer my question. Daryl wasn't the type to make false promises and the truth wasn't really what I was looking for. I knew it was a long shot to think that things would suddenly go back to the way that they were and we could all go back to living our lives as if none of this ever happened and even if it did the experience had changed us. For the better or for the worse I still couldn't be sure.

"I think…" He sighed before sliding away from me with a halfhearted smile. "I think we're pretty lucky all things considered." He was right. We had safety in numbers, friends that had become family and dare I say it… each other. I smiled and reached into my pocket, fished out a pack of cigarettes and handed it to him.

"Thought you might want these." His eyes lit up as he took it from me and tore the pack open.

"I never told you I smoked." He smirked as he pulled one out with his teeth and fished a lighter from his pocket.

"You look like the type." I shrugged.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Without a word I stepped out of the convenience store and onto the street. The morning air felt good against my skin and it felt even nicer to be away from the farm. Daryl was antsy, I could see it in the way he moved and the way he seemed to be somewhere else in his thoughts. He wanted to be out looking, searching for the little girl but he was barely on his feet and in no position to go on the hunt so soon. Hell he was barely okay to be in town with me but he insisted and I wasn't about to argue with the king of stubborn asses about whether or not he should stay.

We made our way down the strip, taking advantage of the scattered stores that made up what was considered downtown. Aside from a few bottles of water and a handful of canned goods there wasn't much left to be found.

"So why are we out here again? This place has been cleaned out." I shrugged.

"I needed to get away." I stared off ahead of us as we passed the hollowed out remains of the town's only fast food restaurant.

"From what?"

"The farm, walkers, Hershel, Sophia…" His face dropped and in that moment I realized I had pushed a button I hadn't realized he had. "Oh Daryl I'm sorry I didn't mean…"

"No it's okay." He took a deep pull from what remained of his cigarette before tossing it into the street.

"You did a lot for her." He nodded. "If anyone can find her it's you."

"Yeah but I didn't." He stopped and I turned to face him. "I was out their all damn day and I didn't see nothing but a couple of walkers."

"That's not true." I offered. "You found her doll that means she has to be close."

"It'd be better if I was out there." He muttered as he turned his eyes to the ground.

"Even if you were there instead of here, you wouldn't be well enough to go on a wild goose chase"

"Don't matter if I'm well, matters that we find that little girl." He barked.

"I know."

"I'm sorry." He looked down sheepishly.

"You're taking it to heart, that's a good thing." I smiled. "That's how I know you'll find her." He looked up at me with a halfhearted smile.

"Can we change the subject? I came out here to spend time with you not be depressed." A chuckle escaped me and I motioned for him to follow me.

"Spend time with me huh?" I grinned as we put pavement behind us and moved closer to the edge of town.

"Does that surprise you?"

"I guess nothing does anymore. So ask me something."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm tired of asking all the questions I'm sure there's something about me you're dying to know." Daryl went quiet, he was thinking and I could see it in his face as he stared out over the horizon.

"Is that a Wal-Mart?"

"Okay that wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"They sell ammo." I saw the familiar blue sign just over the hill and in that moment I could feel his excitement. I had forgotten about the ammo but the girl in me hadn't forgotten about the one thing they sold that I was sorely in need of. Clothes.

"Do you think anything's even left in there?" He turned to me and shrugged.

"Only one way to find out. Maybe we can find you some more arrows." He pointed to the bow strapped to my back and I nodded. Food, ammo and god knows what else this place could be a treasure chest just waiting to be opened but on the other more realistic hand there was the chance that it was a death trap and I wasn't looking forward to that possibility. We made good time despite Daryl's injury and nearly jogged across the empty parking lot excited and a little scared at what we might find.

"Maybe we should have brought the truck." I offered as our pace slowed and we approached the buildings front. Daryl stopped in his tracks and peered off behind us.

"Shit you're right, if we have to run…"

"Better not to do it on foot." He looked to me and nodded.

"Plus we can fit more in the back of my truck if we need to…" He trailed off in thought and rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. "You stay here, don't go inside I'll only be a minute."

"You're leaving me out here alone?" I did my best to sound shocked and maybe even a little offended. I didn't doubt my ability to protect myself. But it wasn't like Daryl to leave me unguarded and I couldn't let him get away with it so easily. He sighed and planted a quick kiss to my cheek.

"You'll be okay." He smiled before taking off in a near jog back toward the little convenience store where we parked. It was strange and a little scary seeing him disappear around the corner. I knew he wouldn't be gone long but my mind immediately began to latch onto all the what if's of the situation.

"What if a walker saw me?"

"What if a whole herd of them came along?"

"What if a group of escaped convicts happened to find me?" I chuckled at the last one. My mind could get a little out of hand when left to its own devices. I adjusted my bow and took a few small steps toward the building. I wouldn't go in, as tempting as it was it was also carelessly stupid and reckless to even entertain the thought but that didn't mean I couldn't get a look inside while I was left to wait.

The parking lot was clear. A few abandoned cars were left, their doors flung open in what I imagine was panic but nothing living made its presence known as I quickly walked the perimeter of the massive brick building. No groans, no moving shadows or shambling masses. How the town was so empty I wasn't quite sure but without a food source any creature was bound to move on eventually and I crossed my fingers hoping that they had done just that.

I stepped up to the glass doors and peered inside. It was dimly lit, the sun poured in from the skylights above and I could already tell that the place had been ransacked. The floor was littered with rotted food, discarded boxes and overturned carts. Shelves that were usually filled to the brim with candy bars near the front counter had been cleaned out and the registers had been pried open and tossed to the floor. I felt almost bad for the people that chose money over all else, maybe they didn't realize how fast things were going to go to hell, to be honest I don't think anybody did.

"BOO!" I screamed and jumped away from the door as a pair of hands squeezed me around the waist. My feet were the first to go, skidding and sliding underneath me as if I had stepped on a patch of ice and I went flying to the ground in true Charlie Chaplin form.

"You ASSHOLE!" I growled as I stared up at him with a scowl. "You're evil." He laughed and reached down offering me his hand. I took it despite my better judgment and pulled myself up. He hissed at the effort and placed a hand on his side. He was still smiling, still laughing though it didn't take much to see the pain that hid behind all of that.

"It was too easy."

"My ass is gonna be one big bruise you know that." I chuckled as I brushed myself off. Daryl moved toward me and pulled me into his chest despite my protest.

"I'm sorry." He smiled.

"No you're not."

"No, I'm really not." I smacked his chest playfully and grinned.

"Can we just do this now, please?" I chuckled. Daryl nodded and looked over toward the store as I unsheathed my knife and cracked my neck loudly from side to side. He held the door open for me and I slid inside quietly. With my fingers wrapped tightly around the black rubber handle of my knife I took a quick look around.

My heart sank as I heard the now familiar guttural growls that echoed along the stores quiet walls. A part of me wanted to leave, to forget this place but as I listened I realized that it wasn't the sounds of hundreds I heard but merely a few.

"You sure about this?" Daryl whispered as he came up behind me. I nodded.

"We can take them." I said more for myself then him. Daryl sighed heavily. "You don't have to fight."

"Ari…" He began to protest but I held up my hand to stop his argument before it even began.

"Stay behind me and be my backup." His eyebrow rose in a question and I pointed to the crossbow strapped to his back. "You can still pull a trigger, I'll do the legwork."

"I don't like this." His face became hard and his voice stern. I shook my head.

"Trust me." He stared me down in a moment's contemplation before nodding reluctantly and pulling his weapon to the front. Without another word and thankful for the lack of protest I sunk down and began to survey my surroundings. I tried to think back to everything Daryl had taught me, tracking was a good skill to have right about now. We moved quietly passed the rows of empty checkout lines. Rotted groceries and empty baskets littered the conveyer belts and the floor all around. A visual reminder of the panic that must have hit just before this town met its end.

I stopped as a violent hiss echoed through the store.

"Came from the back." Daryl offered as he took cover behind a barren shelf.

"You sure?" He nodded. I motioned toward the grocery section. It was smaller and divided by shelving which meant it was easier to search and harder to hide in. Unfortunately that meant for us as well as them but I wasn't worried. I held my breath as we passed by a display of rotted apple. Streams of sunlight beamed down from the skylights above, illuminating the decaying feast in all its bug infested glory.

Daryl chuckled behind me as I covered my mouth with the thin cloth of my t shirt and tried to think of other things, pleasant things. Things not covered in maggots and the stench of decay. We slipped around the corner and almost immediately I saw her. It's funny how a wriggling piece of larva was enough to send my stomach into a frenzy but a woman draped in a blood soaked gown, her arm taken by time and decay leaving her with nothing more than a rotted seeping stump in its place. That was perfectly fine as far as my gag reflex was concerned. I watched her for a moment as she looked up at the skylight above her almost as if admiring the beauty that it exposed to her.

What I mistook for a gown was nothing more than an open bathrobe soaked with blood. Hers or someone else's I couldn't be sure. She wore nothing underneath and her stomach was ripped open, its contents dragging the ground in front of her feet. In her final moments she was a walker's meal and that was enough to send my senses reeling. Daryl moved to his feet and slid passed me as I tried desperately to silence the sounds of my own lurching.

Somewhere in the corners of my perception I saw the metal frame of his crossbow raise into position and with a groan he let his arrow fly. A loud thud and a splat told me it was done and I squeezed my eyes shut allowing the world to come to a halt long enough to regain my senses.

"You okay?" He whispered and I nodded weakly. I wiped the corners of my mouth and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Is it gone?"

"Look if you can't do this-"

"I can." I looked up at him and did my best to fake the conviction that I didn't feel. "I can do this. That one…" I waved behind me and shook my head. "That one just got to me that's all." Daryl watched me for a second. I was sure he was waiting for my expression to falter, my conviction to fail but I held my ground and eventually he gave in with a quick nod.

Daryl followed behind me as we slid around the grocery section and thankfully we only found one more. An old man hissed and sniffed at the air as he shambled through what was left of the cereal aisle. There were a few things left untouched. I'd have to make a note to come back before we left.

Daryl nodded at me and stepped back. I pulled an arrow from the quiver at my back as silently as I could and pulled back the string. I held my arm steady, straightened my back and held him in my sights for what felt like an eternity before finding the confidence to let my arrow fly.

With one shot he was ended. With one shot he fell to the floor, the life snuffed out of his eyes.

"Nice shot." Daryl whispered behind me. I moved toward the corpse and placed my foot on his back before bending to grab my arrow and pulling it free with one good yank. "Yer getting better." He nudged my side and I shrugged.

"A little practice goes a long way." I offered before shoving the bloody arrow into my quiver.

It took less than an hour, or at least what felt like an hour to clear the store. Daryl stood back and let me do most of the work and I could see a look of satisfaction growing across his face with each kill. Maybe seeing me in a different light would change his mind about my ability to fend for myself.

I'd expected to find a hive, a collection of walkers wandering aimlessly in hopes of finding their next meal but instead we found only a few. Two wondered the back isles of the automotive section. Daryl quickly and quietly picked off one and called the others attention long enough for me to bury my knife to the hilt in the back of its skull. A woman wondered the toy section. She was well dressed and freshly turned, nothing that my bow couldn't handle. What used to be the manager of this place, at least according to his nametag had been locked in the break room with several dead bodies.

I was amazed that they hadn't turned but from the looks of things someone had taken the time to ensure that they wouldn't long before the walkers got a hold of them. As we snuck around the building and double checked our efforts I began to wonder exactly what had happened in that room. Had they been friends? Coworkers? Strangers bonded under circumstance? Was it the manager that put bullets in each of them leaving only himself to become one of the undead or was it someone else? Had they truly wanted to die, to be spared of the disease or was it an act of mercy forced upon them as they waited for help?

"You okay?"

"What?" I nearly whispered, still staring off into the pharmacy with glossy eyes.

"You went away there for a while." He smirked. "You okay?" I nodded and allowed my body to relax.

"Sure. Yeah I was just thinking."

"About what?" Daryl pulled the pack of cigarettes I had given him from his pocket, fished one loose with his teeth and lit it.

"What do you think happened in there?" I motioned toward the break room. He shrugged as a thick billow of blue smoke lapped at the air around us.

"Who knows? At least they died human." I nodded. They were the lucky ones. "We ain't gonna have the sun for too long." We should get on with this is what he really meant to say and silently I agreed. He pulled one of the duffel bags from around his shoulder and handed it to me.

"Where do you wanna start?"

"The hunting stuff's back here." I nearly jogged to keep up with his long purposeful strides and as we rounded the corner passing the glass countered desk I quickly became thankful that there was a reason for it. The display case had been smashed open leaving shards of diamond like glass scattered across the tile floor. The guns it held were long gone but one knife remained and I peered over the edge to get a better look. A long, sharp edged bowie knife with a leather wrapped handle stared up at me and it felt right as I brushed aside the glass and lifted it into my hand.

"Looks good on you." He smirked as I tested the weight with a smile.

"Feels good." I tucked it into my belt and moved on down the barren isle. The guns had been ransacked. That wasn't a surprise but what was surprising was that whoever decided to stock up on weapons hadn't thought enough to stock up on ammo leaving plenty for the taking. It wasn't a gold mine by any stretch of the imagination but enough to fill half of my bag with boxes of various goodies. Enough to get us by for a while.

"I swear I didn't think there would be anything left." I smiled as we jammed the last box into place and I slid the bag over my shoulder.

"Yeah well here's hoping we can use it." He nodded. We walked passed rows of camouflage jackets, gloves and safety vests until we found something that managed to bring the excitement of a kid on Christmas day out of me. Arrows. And not just arrows, bolts and even a few bows were left hanging on the rack.

"Want a new bow?" I shook my head.

"I like this one." I smiled absently as I pulled an arrow from the display and ran my fingers over it.

"She's a little big for you." He looked over the rack for a few minutes before pulling a small compound bow from its place and holding it out to me. I shook my head. "Give it a try."

"I told you I like this one." I chuckled. "Besides you gave it to me."

"Ari I'll give you every damn bow on this rack if you'll just give em a try." He smirked and pushed the bow toward me again. I sighed and dropped my things to the ground quietly before reaching out and accepting his offer.

She was lighter, smaller and I hated to admit that I liked the way she felt in my hand. She had a sight built into her already and a spot that Daryl told me was meant for a laser sight if we could find one.

"You can put a laser sight on a bow?" I asked skeptically. It sounded like something from a movie but the way he nodded emphatically told me otherwise.

"Some are better than others but they make em and they work pretty well." I hated the thought of replacing my weapon. I had grown attached to her but something about this one called to me and it felt… right. I pulled an arrow from the display, nocked it and pulled the string back. She was smooth, easier to balance and easier to hold. I let my arrow fly and found myself shocked with the speed and precision with which she landed just twenty feet away in a jug of motor oil spilling its black contents all over the white tile floor.

"That's amazing."

"Told ya." Sometimes you just know when you have to have something and this was one of those times. I lifted my old bow from the ground and with a silent goodbye shelved her forever on the rack.

We split up and I forced Daryl into the east side of the store. We already knew it was clear and I wasn't about to let him steal my opportunity. I took longer than I needed to wonder through the racks of clothes left hanging and abandoned before moving toward the pharmacy to fill up on anything and everything that was left, which honestly wasn't much. Some band aids, aspirin and a few bottles of cough medicine. Basic first aid kits for the taking but it was better than nothing. It wasn't until I hopped over the counter that I found a small stash of antibiotics and quickly shoved them into my bag.

"Anything good?" I dropped the last bottle into my already stuffed bag and shook my head.

"Maybe Hershel can tell me if we can use this stuff." I shrugged as I zipped up and hopped the counter fully loaded.

"Yeah this place is pretty cleaned out." He looked up at the skylight above us and sighed. "We're losing light."

"I don't think we're gonna find anything else here." I agreed. With our newly acquired supplies in tow Daryl and I left the store and made our way back to the farm.


	28. Author's NOte

**Hello readers of Penelope Sweet! My name is Poppy and I'll be Penny's internet stand-in for a moment. Here's the deal, Penelope recently moved and will be without internet until about mid-November and won't be able to update her fanfiction until then. However, she promises to return with great chapters and her usual brand of awesomeness.**

**Until then, how about some really stupid Halloween jokes to go with the month of October?**

**-Knock, knock!**  
><strong>-Who's there? <strong>  
><strong>-A witch!<strong>  
><strong>-A witch who?<strong>  
><strong>-A witch one of their eyes am I going to poke out first!<strong>

**-What's a mummy's favorite type of music?**  
><strong>-Rap music!<strong>

**-Where do dead celebrities go on vacation?**  
><strong>-MaliBOO!<strong>

**-What kind of key opens a Haunted House?**  
><strong>-A spooKEY!<strong>

**-Knock, knock!**  
><strong>-Who's there?<strong>  
><strong>-Boo!<strong>  
><strong>-Boo who?<strong>  
><strong>-Aww, c'mon kid! Don't cry!<strong>


	29. Chapter 29

Daryl left early the next morning just as I thought he would. He spent most of the night tossing and turning and I knew exactly what was keeping him awake. He wanted to be out there looking for her and losing a day bothered him more than he cared to let on. So it wasn't surprising to open my eyes to an empty tent, Daryl long gone and the sounds of birds announcing the rising sun somewhere in the distance.

What did surprise me however was the small fresh bundle of wildflowers laid out neatly next to my pillow. It wasn't like him but I wasn't about to argue as I stretched and groaned before lifting them to my nose and inhaling their sweet scent. I recognized them all as flowers that grew within a few feet of our makeshift camp. Daisy's and black eyed Susan's mostly with a little lilac sprinkled throughout for color. My cheeks warmed and a slight chuckle escaped me. Daryl was well on his way to becoming a true redneck Romeo and I wasn't about to put up a fight.

I placed them neatly above my pillow and clambered out of bed, my hair in tangles and my body sore from the day before. After cracking my neck loudly I dressed for the day, happy to pull on something new and climbed out of the tent with my bow strapped tightly to my back.

The camp was mostly bare. Lori and Carl smiled up at me as I waved and Glenn hardly seemed to notice anything going on around him let alone the quiet "good morning." that I uttered as I passed him. There was a heavy air surrounding the farm and that alone was enough to fuel my desire to leave its boundaries behind me for another day.

"Heading out?" Andrea questioned me as I passed the R.V without even a second glance. I looked up and offered her a slight nod.

"I need to get out of here for a while." She nodded in agreement. She motioned for me to wait and I did as she climbed down from her perch leaving her rifle behind and joining me on the ground.

"Look, I just wanted…." She sighed nervously. "I just wanted to apologize for the other day." I lifted my hand to stop her.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to."

"I know." She nodded. "And I did."

"What did he say?" I asked curiously. She shrugged.

"He said he understood."

"Yeah?"

"He said I was just trying to protect the group."

"Oddly enough that sounds like him." A smirk escaped her and she nodded.

"I just…" She shrugged. "It doesn't feel like enough. I've never really thought much of him you know and I think he knows that. But the more I think about it the more I realize that no one is out there doing as much for Sophia as he is." I nodded. "He almost died trying to find her." A quiet kind of realization passed between us and I nodded once again. It was all that I could do.

"I think he'd do the same for any of us."

"You really think so?" I thought about it for a moment before deciding that I was right.

"I really do." She looked behind her and let a sigh escape her once again.

"I hope he finds her." She spoke in a loud whisper. "For Carol's sake."

"He will." I was surprised at how much conviction my words held. I was a realist and I knew what the odds were of finding that little girl alive. But I also knew that there wasn't a group of more dedicated people in the world out there looking for her as Andrea and I exchanged words.

"I hope you're right." She nodded before beginning her climb back up to the roof of the R.V and waving me off from above. I stood there for a moment, debating between the safety of the camp and my desire to do something useful for a change.

Settling for the latter I took one last look back before making my way across the overgrown pasture and into the thick of the woods. There is a kind of peace that can only be found in nature and it takes a special kind of silence to hear it. It's something that lays hiding behind the mating calls of the birds overhead or the sound of hoofs patting at the ground around you. It's the silence that lies beyond the sounds of nature.

I listened for it, quieting my own mind as I slid in between berry bushes and wild oak trees. I walked for what felt like hours without coming up on so much as a rabbit and I began to feel strange at how alone I seemed to be. No deer made their presence known, no small creatures skipped across my path but at the same time no growls filled my ears and in that I took a small bit of comfort.

It wasn't long before I found my way to the edge of the woods and climbed up a small hill toward the highway were Sophia was last seen. The last place I wanted to be was out in the open, exposed and alone but the long stretch of cars before me held their own opportunities and I took a quick look around before deciding it was safe enough to take advantage of the situation.

The first few cars held nothing, already ransacked or maybe their owners hadn't had time to grab more than their loved ones before leaving everything they knew behind. I crossed the street toward a pickup truck that had crashed into the railing and peeked into the window before pulling the door open. I gagged as its owner fell onto the ground at my feet. It's amazing what the summer sun can do to a corpse when given the opportunity. He was barely human. Bloated and misshapen he lay lifeless on the ground and I would have felt sorry for him if I wasn't in such a rush to unsheathe my knife and ensure that he wouldn't be moving again anytime soon.

Without a moment of hesitation I buried my knife to the hilt in his skull and gave a silent apology for what I had to do. If he were in my shoes I'm sure he would have made the same decision. I sheathed my knife and turned my attention back to the truck, ignoring the smell as I searched for anything useful. I would have been happy to find a knife, some food, hell even an old book would have been preferable to a tattered old backpack and a bottle of water. "Beggars can't be choosers." I sighed before taking both and making my way up the road.

I searched car after car carefully and quietly and before long one thing became apparent over all else. This was a graveyard. People ripped from their lives violently and without warning only to end up here. Trapped like cattle and awaiting deaths final move. Check mate.

I tried to ignore it and push the sickening groan in my stomach to the side as I moved up the line in search of anything useful. Family mementos, toys long forgotten and photo albums stained with blood lay scattered across backseats and pavement and I did the best I could to leave their memories just as they were as I searched for something, anything that would make it worth my time.

The day grew short and I decided it best to end my adventure as the air around me began to cool. Night would be setting in soon and the last thing I wanted was to be lost in the woods without the benefit of light. With my backpack full and my legs tired I scrambled back down the hill and into the woods ready to return to the safety of camp if I was lucky enough to reach it.

I broke through the line of trees just as the sun was beginning to set behind me. Artificial light poured out from the farm's tiny windows and my heart nearly stopped as a scream pierced the quiet sky around me. I took off running, my legs moving swiftly before I had the chance to register what was happening. I leapt over the broken fence and pulled my knife from its hilt ready for a fight as I came round the R'V's side and ran toward the group huddled together and crying over something that couldn't be seen.

It didn't take more than a moment before I realized that there wasn't a fight to be had and I pushed my way through the small crowd as I slid my knife back into its place and looked on with a kind of excited curiosity. We watched quietly as Carol bent over a figure I couldn't see. Small squeals and cries escaped her as Hershel watched his wrist closely, his hand clasped around a tiny arm. I gasped.

I pushed past Andrea to get a better look and found myself shoulder to shoulder with Daryl, his eyes glued to the ground at his feet.

"Her pulse seems fine. I don't see any blood.

"She wasn't bit." Daryl added gruffly. "Made sure of it." Hershel looked up at him and nodded.

"She's a lucky little girl." Carol looked up and a smile tugged at her lips behind the tears that stained her cheeks.

"Thank you." The words barely escaped her. "Thank you." She added in a loud whisper. Daryl simply nodded as Hershel bent down and lifted the little girl into his arms. She'd been through hell these last few days. Her clothes were torn and dirty and her hair was in tangles and littered with leaves. Hershel was right there wasn't a drop of blood on her but the pure innocence she once held seemed to be missing from her face as she dangled limply in his arms.

"Best get her inside. She needs water and I imagine it's been days since she's eaten." He nodded toward Daryl before turning and making his way to the house, Carol close at his heels. The crowd dispersed and I watched as they all looked on in disbelief. Lori and Rick held their son tight between them as they made their way toward their tent. I couldn't imagine how they felt but somehow I knew it would be a long time before Carl was ever let out of their sight again.

I turned to Daryl and smiled but before I could speak Shane stepped up and proudly patted his shoulder.

"I gotta say man I didn't think you could do it."

"Wasn't just me." He nodded toward Rick's tent.

"No I know that man but still…" Shane sighed as he reached up and ran his hand over the back of his head nervously. "I would have bet my life she was dead." He looked down at the ground and shook his head.

"Girl's smart."

"That she is." Shane nodded. "Listen though, what do you think's gonna happen when she wakes up?" Daryl's face twisted in confusion. "I mean…." Shane sighed. "Look you an I both know that whatever happened out there it's gonna change her."

"So?" Daryl scoffed.

"I just…" He looked toward the house and shook his head. "I'm worried about Carol you know. Sophia's back and that's good." He turned his attention back to Daryl who crossed his arms at his chest and listened with a kind of disdain. "But what if she's not the same anymore?"

"They'll get through it." Shane looked back at the house and shook his head. I didn't like where he was going and judging by the way Daryl stood I wasn't the only one that felt a little uneasy at Shane's unspoken suggestion.

"I don't know maybe it's just me but…

"But what?" Daryl barked. "You wanna go up there and shoot the poor kid."

"NO! That aint what I'm saying." Daryl watched quietly for a moment before a look of understanding crossed his face.

"You would've left her." Shane sighed. "Jesus man what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I never said that Daryl I just think that maybe…" Shane pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "maybe she's not gonna be the same when she wakes up and maybe that's gonna be a problem."

"Then we'll deal with it. She's a little girl." Daryl scoffed. "So what if she's a little different how is it gonna be a problem? What's the worst she can do?" Shane put his hands up and stepped back.

"You know what, you're right. I shouldn't have said anything."

"NO you need to start thinkin about what the fuck yer saying." Daryl shook his head and moved toward Shane. "You've changed man look at yerself."

"Um, Okay I hate to be the one to point this out but YOU don't call the shot's around here. In fact you've NEVER called the shot's and as far as I can tell I'm the only one with my goddamn head on straight around here."

"Yer head aint nowhere near straight."

"Keep talking hillbilly…"

"Woah WOAH!" I stepped back as Daryl cocked his fist and Dale stepped in to stop the fight. "What's going on here?" He stepped in between the boys and Daryl sucked in a sharp breath as he unclenched his fist and let it fall to his side.

"Nothing." Shane spat. "Just a friendly conversation." His eyes locked with Daryl's rigid frame as Dale looked back and forth between them.

"Friendly?" Dale turned back to Shane wide eyed and accusing. "I could hear you screaming clear over there." He motioned toward the farm's front porch. "What's gotten into you two?" He looked back to Daryl and shook his head. "I don't know what's going on here but we haven't had the chance to be happy in a long time."

"Save it old man." Dale turned to Shane and glared before sighing deeply and shaking his head.

"Look whatever it is that's eating you can wait. Let us have one night of peace I'm begging you." Daryl nodded and Shane shook his head before cracking his knuckles loudly and walking away from the pair without a word. "I just don't get it." Dale muttered as he shook his head.

"He's changing." Daryl added without looking up and Dale nodded.

"I just hope it'll pass."

"That makes two of us." I sighed as I moved toward them. "He wasn't always this angry." They both nodded as I looked behind me, watching him disappear into the house. It was one thing to have a common enemy but to fear those you are meant to trust is far worse than any creature of myth could ever be. I walked past the boys as they talked quietly amongst themselves, squeezing Daryl's hand gently before leaving their company and making my way toward silent pastures.

**AUTHORS NOTE!**

**I'M HOME! It feels so good to be back! I have a ton more uploads to do but I thought I would give you this for now since I am just a few moments from heading out to work. A little bit of news, My first full length novel Wolves among Men was just released by Ambrosia art's publishing and I would like to extend the offer to you lovely people to pop on over to and check it out. **

**Let me give you the synopsis:**

**It's funny how it only takes one moment, one simple action to throw a normal life into utter chaos After the death of their parents Ethan Harlow and his sister Cordillia do the best they can to pick up the pieces and live a normal life but after an attack that leaves Ethan in the ICU, their lives quickly become anything but normal.**

**Noticing some strange changes in himself Ethan sets off across California to find an answer, a name for what he has become but what he finds instead is far worse than anything he could have imagined. **

**A centuries old evil waiting to return, a race of creatures that shouldn't exist and war Ethan never meant to start. With the help of his new friends and the woman that made him Ethan must make a choice…**

**Will he run for his life? Or stay and fight at the side of the wolves that have become like a family to him?**

**Fan fiction will not let me post links unfortunately but you can head on over to and search for Wolves among men. It is available for Kindle and paperback copies are also available. If you do buy it the only thing I ask is for you kindly to leave a review. If you happen to have an Amazon account but cannot buy the book then please add it to your wish list. For some reason just being in people's wish lists bumps me up in the amazon ratings which in time leads to more sales and that would be a huge HUGE Help! Also I would like to offer you this. If you would like a free copy of my book in exchange for an honest review then send me a PM here and I will gift a free kindle copy to the first five people who message me. Again the only thing I ask for in return is an honest review on . **

**I love you guys and I have missed you oh so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter and if you like my work here feel free to check out my published work. One last message: The only book I have published at this time is Wolves among men, there is another self published author on Amazon with the same name who writes adult/erotic stories and that is not me, just so you know. **

**Anywho! I LOVE YOU ALL AND IM SO GLAD TO BE BACK!**

**XOXO**

**Penelope**


	30. Chapter 30

I slumped down next to an old oak tree and rested my back against its rough frame. It was too nice of a night to be inside and the sun hadn't quite finished its decent into the tombs of the earth yet. I let my head fall back and watched as the stars began to come out of hiding.

"Long day?" Daryl asked gruffly as he sat down next to me. He cracked his neck loudly and I nodded. I pulled my backpack around and rested it on the ground in front of us.

"I went treasure hunting." I smiled weakly, still too stunned to show any real emotion.

"Find anything good?" He looked down and his eyebrow rose with curiosity. I shook my head.

"Nothing as good as what you found." He smirked. "How?" He sighed and stretched his legs out in front of him before kicking off his boots with a grunt.

"Rick and I went back to the creek where I found her doll and followed it out." I was more than a little relieved to hear that he didn't stubbornly trek out on his own.

"Was she just wondering around?" He shook his head.

"She was hiding in this little shack. I pointed it out but Rick heard her scream." I sucked in a sharp breath. "We got up there and there were two walkers, some old fucker and his girl I guess were trying to get into a little bathroom and Sophia was screamin her heart out." He stopped his story and leaned back against the tree, crossing his arms over his chest. "We took em out and got her out of there. She passed out nearly as soon as she saw us."

"Exhaustion?" He shrugged.

"I suppose."

"That's amazing." I smiled after a long silence. "I really didn't think we were gonna find her."

"Me neither." I stopped and looked up at him.

"Wait. You were out their risking your ass and you didn't know if you would even find her?"

"Aint like that." He spoke calmly. "I just wasn't sure today."

"Just today?" He looked at me and nodded.

"Just today. It been too long since we went out looking. A lot can happen in a day." I nodded.

"Well regardless I'm happy she's okay." I smiled and unzipped my bag. "And I'm sure Carol is going to be thanking you for the rest of her life." He waved me off but I could see the slight hint of pink creeping across his face as he looked away. "Now I don't feel so silly for grabbing this." I pulled a small porcelain doll from my bag and straightened her dress before holding her up. Daryl took the doll from my hand and gave her a quick look before handing it back with a smirk.

"Where'd you find that?"

"She was in the back seat of some old car." He stiffened next to me. "I thought of Sophia when I saw it." I smiled as I ran my fingers through her hair. "I thought that she might like it."

"Where did you go today?" He asked changing the subject and I shrugged.

"I found the highway." Daryl groaned and shook his head.

"Ari, what the hell were you thinkin?"

"It's not like I went out intending to find it, it just happened." I argued.

"Jesus."

"What?" I snapped back and dropped the doll back into my back. "I gotta check in with you before I do anything?" Daryl shook his head and took a deep breath.

"No… just…." He stammered before letting his head fall back against the tree. "Did you forget what happened out there? How many of em there were?"

"No I didn't and I didn't rush out onto the street blindly either. God Daryl, give me a little credit here."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?"

"You saw me yesterday, you watched me fight you know I can handle myself."

"Against a few at a time Ari. That herd we saw out there on that highway was not just a few. What if they'd come back huh? Do ya really think you coulda headed off twenty of em? Thirty even?" I sighed and shook my head.

"No." I fell back against the tree and closed my eyes. "You're right. You're absolutely right but answer me this." I sat up and pulled my knees into my chest, watching him intently as he waited for me to continue. "Why does it always have to be a fight with you? Why can't you just acknowledge the fact that I made it back in one peace and be proud of me for once?"

"You don't think I'm proud of you?" He sounded shocked, almost hurt and for a moment I found myself almost wishing I hadn't just assumed. "When I first found you, you were starin death in the face. You were helpless and now look at ya." I smiled nervously and sat up straight. I'd hoped the fall of night would hide the blush that warmed my cheeks.

"I… I wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for you." I added shyly. "You taught me everything I know." I nudged him playfully and he grinned.

"Ari I am proud of you. I'm sorry you didn't know that." I dropped my gaze and rested my tired frame against the tree once more and Daryl followed suit. We watched the night fall like a blanket around us. Stars danced in the black giving us one moment of simplicity, one moment to forget the utter chaos that surrounded us.

"I have something for you." He watched me curiously as I sat up and unzipped my backpack. I dug through the mess of treasure I had found; A Star War's T Shirt, Sophia's doll, a small I Pod that still had a little charge left and various snacks still packaged and inviting. I pulled out a small black bag and leaned back against the tree before handing it to him. "I don't know what it is but I thought you might be able to use it." He took the canvas bag from me and smirked as he unrolled it and looked over the various tools inside. It was the knives that caught my attention but amongst the glittering silver were a few more odds and ends that I didn't recognize.

"It's a cleaning kit."

"Cleaning for what?" I asked as he pulled one of the tools from its place and twirled it in between his fingers.

"Fish." He shrugged. "But it would be useful for small game." He rolled up the bag and placed it at his side.

"So you can use it?" He nodded.

"Yeah, might make skinnin rabbits a whole lot easier." I shuddered and leaned back against the tree.

"Please don't remind me." Just the thought made my stomach twist in knots. I was well aware of the evils of necessity but that didn't mean that I had to start liking it. Not now, not ever. "Do you think she'll be okay?" I asked quietly as I leaned over and nestled myself into his side. He lifted his arm and draped it over my shoulders with a groan.

"Don't know." I looked up at him. "Carl seems to be okay."

"True." I shrugged. "But his momma does do a pretty good job of keeping him sheltered from it all. Sophia wasn't so lucky."

"She'll bounce back." I couldn't be sure but it sounded almost as if he was more than certain of what he said. "Kids are good at that kind of thing." I closed my eyes as his fingers began to dance across my skin, tracing soft circles in my arm as his chest rose and fell beneath me.

"You're a good man." I sighed and he chuckled.

"Stop." I looked up at him with a smile.

"You know you're not so good at taking compliments." He stared down at me with that same halfcocked smile that had a tendency to speak louder than words. He pulled his arm away from me and taking my cue, I sat up and stretched my back as he crossed his legs in front of him. Daryl shrugged, a delayed reaction to my statement before grabbing a long blade of grass and ripping it apart with his fingertips.

"I was thinking about going out tomorrow. See what I can catch." He muttered as he slowly twirled the blade of grass, or what was left of it between his fingertips.

"Don't you think you deserve a day off?" I huffed as I lay myself down on the grass and adjusted my backpack into a makeshift pillow. I just assumed he shrugged as I stared up at the stars overhead.

"Groups gotta eat."

"Daryl's gotta rest." I did my best to imitate him and he smirked. "Look I appreciate it and I'm sure everyone else does too but you've been working your ass off trying to find Sophia." I rolled onto my side and reached out to place my hand on his knee, pulling his attention toward me. "Taking a day off to rest and recoup isn't going to hurt you any."

"I aint the resting type." He shrugged.

"If you need to do something Rick and them just started weapons training with some of the others. Maybe you can help with that." Daryl looked over to me and nodded slowly.

"I'll think about it." I rolled onto my back and returned my gaze back to the stars above me. I closed my eyes and tried my best to breath in the serenity that surrounded me but it wasn't long before I became vaguely aware of the shadow looming over me. I looked up and cocked my eyebrow slightly as Daryl reached down and offered me his hand. I watched him for a few more moments, his hand waving in invitation as I chuckled.

"Just come on would ya." He smirked. I took his invitation and allowed him to pull me up and onto my feet. I brushed myself off and grabbed my backpack before following his long stride through the overgrown pasture.

"Where are we going?" Daryl sighed and reached back, offering me his hand and helping to guide me through the patches of tall grass that seemed to slow down my stride.

"I just wanna show you something." He continued on through the mess of untamed wilderness, his fingers still locked in mine despite my inability to keep up with his steps. I won't deny the fact that I griped and groaned as we pushed through what felt like the dense jungles of Georgia. Whatever it was that Daryl was so eager to show me hardly seemed worth all of this trouble but the man did have a tendency to surprise me and it was for that reason alone that I continued on behind him despite the scratches and splinters I endured.

"Daryl where the hell are we going?" I groaned as I pulled myself free from yet another thorn bush.

"Were here." He reached down, plucked my jeans free from their captor and pointed out in front of us. "I was waiting for a full moon." And I could see why. She hung high, lighting up the sky like a torch and pushing the shadows back into the farthest corners of the woods. The small lake rippled softly in front of me, surrounded by overgrown brush sprinkled with wildflowers and teeming with life. Crickets serenaded us as we slowly made our way toward the small lakes only dock.

"When did you find this?" I chirped as I watched a hundred fireflies dancing over the water as if they were there just for me.

"Few days ago. I'm actually surprised you didn't find it first." He chuckled as he slipped my backpack from my shoulders and dropped it to the ground gently behind him. I looked on in silence as Daryl kicked off his shoes and stepped toward the docks edge, stopping next to me and taking in a deep breath. "I wanted to bring you here when I found it but I was waiting."

"For what?" I asked softly. He looked up. I followed his gaze and smiled as Daryl pointed directly up at the silver full bellied moon.

"I figured it would be better like this." He smiled. I looked over at him and cocked my eyebrow.

"Since when are you the romantic?" Daryl smirked and shook his head.

"Who said anything about romance?" Before I had the chance to respond Daryl lunged toward me, pushing me off of the dock and into the icy cold water. I came up with a shriek and wiped the water from my face.

"YOU ASS!" Daryl laughed loudly.

"Yup." He smiled as I made my way toward the dock.

"At least help me out." I thrust my hand toward him. He shook his head.

"Hell no. Last time I fell for that shit you pulled me in after you." I sighed and swam around toward shallow ground and made my way back to Daryl's side, sopping wet and plotting my revenge. There was no way in hell I was about to let this go. I plopped myself down next to him at the edge of the dock and began wringing out my clothes.

"You're not going in?" He shrugged.

"Why would I?" He stared off into the distance, his toes skimming the surface of the lake as he stared at the rippling water absently.

"Maybe because you look like you haven't bathed in a month." I chuckled. "And what is that?" I leaned in toward his shoulder and ran my finger across his skin. "Is that your blood? Or is that walker blood?" I sneered, holding my finger up for closer inspection. Daryl scoffed and pulled himself to his feet.

"Alright then princess." He chuckled and began to unbutton his shirt. "If it'll make ya happy." I watched with a grin as he stripped down and without another world dove into the pond. He came up with a chuckle and smoothed out his hair before turning toward me. He motioned for me to follow and I simply shook my head.

"Don't think so, I've already been in." I smiled and he rolled his eyes.

"Wasn't a question."

"Well I gave you an answer anyway." I watched him absently as I went back to wringing out my clothes but somewhere along the line I lost sight of Daryl and that is never a smart thing to do. I scanned the lake but saw no sign of him. No rippling water and no bubbles breaking the surface. Hell if I had actually been paying attention to the right thing I may have been able to avoid what was coming but leave it to me to devote 100% of my attention to exactly the wrong things.

I clambered to my feet and moved toward the edge of the dock. "Daryl?" I called, loud but not too loud. I didn't want to go grabbing something else's attention after all, only his. "Daryl that's not funny. Where are you?" In the flash of an instant my feet left the ground, a cry of panic escaped me chest and I felt myself being tossed into the ponds cool water without even a chance to plead for my release.

I kicked up and broke the water's surface with a growl. Daryl's cruel laughter echoed from the edge of the dock before he dove in after me and came up with a smile.

"You could have at least given me the chance to strip." I splashed him.

"Hindsight is a bitch." He chuckled.

We spent the rest of the evening chasing each other around the pond. Lap after lap and laugh after laugh, it was nice to feel normal if only for a little while. As the moon began to reach its peak I followed Daryl back to our tent soaking wet and eager to change into something that smelled a little less like moss and algae. I don't know if it was the evenings activities, the sudden rush of carelessness or finding Sophia alive but as I changed into a dry pair of clothes and climbed in next to an exhausted Daryl I found myself filled with the inescapable feeling that something had changed. The world was starting to feel right again and I silently prayed to whatever God was listening that things would stay this way and we could just go on as if almost nothing had changed.

Almost.

**Authors note:**

**Okay my lovelies I feel I owe you an apology/explanation/giant plate of cookies.**

**As you all know I moved into my own place late last year and it took me until February to obtain the internet for myself but since then I have been MIA and believe me I have felt awful for it. I had what is commonly known as a nervous breakdown and I forced myself to take some time off from…. Well everything until my mind was settled and I was no longer suffering panic attacks and massive bouts of anxiety.**

**I am currently in the process of placing Wolves among men (my original novel) with yet another publisher and here's hoping this one won't take my money and run. I am also in the process of finishing my second published novel and I plan on going through my fan fiction, editing the holy crap out of them and posting them back up so if your email gets flooded I am sorry but feel free to skim through my stories once again if you like, I may add a few new things. Also I am of the mind that Addicted has potential so I am thinking of changing the names, editing the story and making it more of a full novel and trying to sell it as my one and only erotic novel. Any thoughts?**

**Expect to see more updates and I mean that. I love you all and if you are still with me than know that you have my undying gratitude and I missed each and every one of you.**

**XOXO**

**Penelope**


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